Dreamcatcher
by binaryeclipse
Summary: Jacob/OC. Post-Eclipse. Elizabeth Foster is your typical grad student. When she interns on a summer research project looking for dire wolves in the Olympic Peninsula, she finds more than she bargained for.
1. Chapter 1: Let Sleeping Wolves Lie

_Elizabeth POV_

"Okay... Explain to me what this thing is supposed to do again?" I eyed the bit of oddness I held warily. It looked a bit like a new age Christmas ornament. That is, assuming Christmas had anything to do with spider webs and feathers. I had a vague suspicion I'd seen something like it in a truck stop at one point.

My roommate Katrina looked up from her textbook and sighed, clearly I was harshing her good vibe. "It's a _dreamcatcher_, Betts. It catches dreams." Oh great. Thanks, Kat. You really told me there.

"Oh, that's a relief. I thought it was a Wiccan tennis racket." I smacked my forehead. "Thanks so much for clearing that up for me."

"Hey, you're the one that keeps waking up with nightmares." She drew a smiley-face in the margin of her text with a pink highlighter. "I'm just trying to help. Insulting my religion isn't exactly the best way to thank me." Angry eyebrows were added to the smiley as an afterthought. Cute.

"What happened to Buddhism?" I arched an eyebrow, trying hard not to glance at the happy Buddha perched on top of the fridge. He creeped me out. No self-respecting god should look that perversely cheerful.

"That was last month." Well, I gave her that much, at least she could admit she was flaky. It was actually one of her more endearing qualities. She cooked, she cleaned, her music was (usually) not obnoxious. As long as _she_ was happy with the condition of her immortal soul, who was I, the classic Agnostic, to judge?

Leaning on the back of the couch, I eyed the odd little thing I held again. It was pretty enough, typical of the sort of knick-knack you'd find in the dusty little bookshops Kat frequented. I'd been dragged into enough of them, mostly because as long as she didn't push her luck I didn't complain. That was sort of the basis of our friendship, cheerful neutrality. Kat and I had known one another since the freshman year of undergrad. I think she'd been dabbling in Judaism then. Most Religions majors thought of their work as a form of higher calling. To Kat it was a buffet. Try a little of this, and maybe a dab of that. My mom would have called her a hippie, with her long dark hair, broomstick skirts and John Lennon sunglasses, but I think Kat redefined the word and made it her own.

"Okay Kat, now that we've covered basic semantics," I said after a moment, "how does it work?"

Taking pity on my poor, unenlightened soul, she plucked the dreamcatcher from my hand and let it dangle from her fingertips. It twisted slowly, the crystal at its center catching the light. "You hang it above your bed. The nightmares are attracted to the crystal and become ensnared in the web." She made an appropriately mystical flourish. "The good dreams slide down the feathers, and into your head." Her fingers wiggled at me significantly. "Did you miss the class on this in high school, Betts?"

"Hm." I took the dreamcatcher when she offered it back, regarding it thoughtfully. Well, I guess it couldn't hurt. "Are you sure it will work?"

She lifted one shoulder in a shrug and turned back to studying for her final. "Try it and see, Elizabeth."

Frowning slightly, I straightened and padded down the hallway to my bedroom, toeing the door closed behind me. Casper was asleep on my bed, a fluffy cloud on the dark blue, celestial-patterned bedspread. I snagged a thumbtack out of my desk drawer and knelt on the bed so I could stick the tack into the wall above it, trying to gauge how high I needed to go to prevent the dreamcatcher from becoming a cat toy. Threading the loop over the tack, I stepped back to admire my handiwork. Somehow it didn't look nearly as impressive, lost in a sea of white plaster. Oh well.

I glanced at the clock on the nightstand. Half an hour until Tae Kwon Do, which meant I had five minutes to check my university email. I sat down at the desk, flipped open my laptop and tapped the touchpad, watching my OSU wallpaper come up as it came back from standby.

I'd come to Oregon State as a freshman for their biology program. My undergrad degree was Bio with a minor in Zoology, and for a brief while I thought my destiny had been vet school. A part of me still hadn't quite given up on that, actually, but junior year always came back to haunt me. That entire fall semester had been rough, and none of it looked good on a vet school app. It was time to cut my losses and move on.

Let's see... Email from my boss, spam, spam... Tilting my head, I clicked on the last new message, skimming through it. It was a summer internship notice, odd because it was so late in the term, a research position in conjunction with the University of Washington. 'To study the re-emergence of the native wolf of the Olympic Peninsula.' Hm. My eyes flicked to the little wolf statue that sat next to my monitor, and I impulsively reached out to pat his head. Wouldn't hurt to run it by one of the profs tomorrow, get a feel for what they wanted. If nothing else, it would be nice to get out of Corvallis for a while. Summer time here had too many memories associated with it.

Speaking of which... "Crap, I'm going to be late." Five minutes had become fifteen, which left me barely enough time to stuff myself into my uniform, tie on my red belt and go scooting out the door.

* * *

The forest was an ancient thing, and it folded itself around me, holding me prisoner inside a brilliant green cage. There was no sky, no light beyond the odd, filtered half-light, and the ever-present chill crept into my bones, leaching deeper with every breath. I shivered, tried to find the path I knew I'd been walking only moments before, but it eluded me, sinking back into the primeval depths of the forest floor. Uneasy, I picked a direction and started walking, looking for some distinction to the trees around me, some sign I was going the right way.

A heavy stillness lay on the trees, with not even a rustle of leaves or the call of a bird to break the silence. The world seemed to be holding its breath, whether in dread or anticipation I had no way of knowing. All at once, the hair on the back of my neck stood up, a chill going through me. Something was watching me. I whirled, hands pulled up into fists, but there was nothing behind me. Teeth on edge, I searched my surroundings, but there was nothing to be found but more green.

Then a sound broke the stillness, carrying through the trees as though in some medieval great hall. A wolf's howl. It felt as though someone had dumped a bucket of icy water on me. I trembled, frozen with a fear I didn't quite understand. Breathing hard, on the edge of panic, I slowly turned to face the way I'd been heading.

He was huge, easily the size of a horse, with a thick pelt of a reddish-brown color. Like ground cinnamon. We faced each other, and his dark eyes watched me with a fierce, _human_ intelligence. I was shaking so hard I could barely stand, reacting with the instincts of some distant ancestor that remembered what it meant to be prey. Shifting my weight, I took a step back... and the wolf pulled his lips back from teeth as long and sharp as daggers, and a growl like distant thunder rumbled to life in his chest.

_I'm going to die. _The thought had no peace, no mental images of meeting with long-lost family pets... of finally being held by Josh again. What screamed through me as the wolf leapt was how very much I wanted to _live_.

I sat bolt upright in bed, unseating an indignant Casper from the crook of my arm. I was shaking so hard it hurt, my heart racing in my chest. Twisting, I looked up at the dreamcatcher, and I could swear that for just a moment, the crystal at the center of it glowed.

I fell out of the bed, stumbling to the door and into the bathroom I shared with Kat. Twisting the cold water on, I flipped the lightswitch, staring into my own, haggard face. Wild, red-blonde curls were in disarray, the circles beneath my eyes almost the same dark blue of the irises. "It was just a dream," I muttered softly, filling my hands with cold water and splashing it on my face. Just a dream... and every time I closed my eyes, I could see that intelligent, preternatural gaze, trying to pierce into me as though it meant to turn me inside out.

Putting my hands over my face, I sagged back against the door, sliding down it until I sat on the bathroom rug. There was no way I could go back to sleep now. I knew with near-certainty that the moment I let down my defenses, the wolf would be waiting for me.

Fine. I'd just have to wait him out. Even wolves have to sleep sometime, right?

* * *

Kat found me slumped against the door the next morning, asleep with a contented Casper in my lap. Fortunately, what little sleep I had gotten that way was dreamless. While she showered and got ready for her morning class, I shuffled into the bedroom and fell into my desk chair. I had an Intro to Zo class I had to be ready to do an exam review with before lunch, I was going to have to pull myself together somehow.

Kat came through for me once again, drifting in with her hair in a towel and two mugs of the fragrant gourmet coffee she preferred. She set one by my elbow, then turned and leaned against the desk as she sipped her own. "You know, Betts," she began cautiously, "I realize sometimes the nightmares are worse than others. But... the accident was three years ago." She bit her lip. "I'm just wondering if you need to talk to someone."

"No." I shook my head, burning my tongue on the coffee.

"You know I'm just worried about you."

"I know." I sighed. "It wasn't about the accident last night, Kat. It was different." It took every ounce of control I possessed not to turn and look at the dreamcatcher.

"Oh." She had a way of packing a lot of worry into a single syllable. In a different situation, I might have laughed.

"I don't want to talk about it right now, I can't." I took another swallow of coffee and got to my feet. "I'm going to take a shower. If I miss you on the way out, I'll see you this afternoon." What a coward. Too afraid to tell her, even more afraid she might bring up the accident again. So I fled.

The shower felt good after my sleepless night. Casper jumped up between the two layers of shower curtain, walking along the edge of the tub and purring like a mini lion. I smiled, stepping under the spray to wet my hair. As soon as I closed my eyes, I could see the wolf again, staring at me with those eyes.

Gritting my teeth, I set my jaw... and glared right back at him.


	2. Chapter 2: The Magic Words

PART TWO: The Magic Words

"Dr. Jardinski!" I threaded my way through the midday traffic in the hallway, chasing after a tiny woman and her bobbing black bun. For the past two days I'd forgotten to talk to one of the professors about the internship. Today I'd backtracked to the TA office, only to be referred to Dr. J. Easy enough, if I could catch her. Fortunately, if there was an advantage to being 5'10" it was the ability to see over a crowd. Good, she was stopping at the water fountain. With luck, I could get to her before she moved on.

Squeezing past a football player, I practically ran the last bit of distance, positioning myself to be the first person she saw when she looked up. "Dr. Jardinski, hi!" I wiggled my fingers, smiling brightly.

"Oh, hello there, Miss Foster." Dr. J smiled back. I'd been a TA for her Elementary Genetics class last fall, so fortunately we were on friendly terms. "What can I do for you?"

"I was wondering if you could give me any extra information on the new internship posting?" I tugged a copy of the email from my notebook, offering it to her. "I'm actually kind of interested."

Dr. J adjusted her glasses, giving the paper a quick once-over. "Ah yes, this one. I'll warn you, I think their premise is a bit far-fetched." She raised her eyebrows, giving me a significant look. "But there are a few credible scientists attached to the project. You could do worse than to spend time hiking in the rainforests with them." She sighed. "I would have liked to see you go for something more challenging, Elizabeth. But it's a bit too late in the year for that. Lean pickings now, at best."

I kept my smile in place, even when it didn't want to stay put. "I was seriously thinking about going abroad," I lied, "but it just didn't work out. So I thought I'd look for something to keep me busy."

Dr. J considered me for a long moment, then nodded. "Come by my office, I'll give you an application." She turned and continued down the hallway, expecting me to follow. "I'd be happy to write your faculty recommendation if you'd like?"

Sighing with relief, I fell in behind her. "Thank you, I'd really appreciate that." This internship had become of paramount importance to me over the last few days. I was convinced that the wolf stalking my dreams had something to do with the proximity of summer break. I didn't want to be in Corvallis this summer, so I'd just go somewhere else. Whether we found real wolves or not, I'd be happy either way.

A few minutes later I had the application in hand, and a promise that Dr. J would email me her recommendation by tomorrow morning. I headed back to the TA office, wanting to check my mailbox before I went home. Brandon, one of the other TA's, was sitting at the worktable when I stepped inside. "Hey Bran."

"Hey Beth, what's new?" He glanced up at me, flashing a quick smile.

"Oh, nothing much. Just getting the scoop on that new internship from Dr. J."

He snorted. "The dire wolf project?"

I stopped short, hand stuck in my mailbox. "_Dire_ wolf project?" Turning around, I frowned at him. "What are you talking about? Dire wolves have been extinct since the Ice Age."

"You know that," he nodded graciously at me, "and I know that," he rested a hand on his chest. "But there's a fruitcake in Washington that thinks they're still running around the Olympic peninsula." He wadded up a piece of paper and went for a three point shot as punctuation. "Nothing but net!"

"You're kidding." I leaned against the wall by the mailboxes, willing him to be wrong.

"Wish I was. Apparently someone up there's been circulating photos of what they claim are giant wolves." I froze. Suddenly my heart was pounding for no reason I could explain.

"Are the pictures on the web?" I tried to keep my voice normal, but it was difficult.

"They were. Try searching for 'dire wolves' and see if you don't come up with them." He paused. "You okay?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine." I waved off his concern, my mind racing. Surely it was just some stupid coincidence. This research project had nothing to do with my dreams. But... Dr. J had said there were some 'credible scientists' working on the project, so there had to be more to it than some cryptozoology wack-job chasing living relics. "Still, Dr. J said there were people working on the project that would be worth learning from."

"That's true. I think Washington must have had some grant money they needed to dump somewhere." He eyed me for a moment. "You thinking of applying?"

I hugged the notebook containing my application to my chest. "Yeah," I don't think it came off as casually as I wanted it to, "I figured it would be more interesting than spending the whole summer here."

"Probably." We looked at each other for a long moment. Me trying to hide something, him curious to know what it was.

"Well, I'd better get going. Things to do, you know."

"Take care."

I all but ran out of the office, hurrying to the car. I drove a 2005 Honda Accord, pale blue. It had been a gift from my grandparents when I'd graduated with my bachelors. It was roomy, economical, and best of all? Free. From the time I started the car until I turned it off in front of my apartment building, my mind was racing. Kat was at an afternoon exam review, so my way was clear. As soon as I could get Google up, I typed in the magic words 'dire wolf'. The first few results I expected, but then I hit the page I was looking for.

In the end, I wasn't sure if I was relieved or disappointed. The photos were blurry and open for interpretation. The blobs that the webpage author gushed about being giant wolves could have been bears or boulders, or another bored college student's afternoon with Photoshop. I felt safe, even slightly amused... until I hit the last picture. There, just barely visible in the dark pic, was a pair of eyes. Eyes that looked straight at the camera and truly _saw _it. Wolf's eyes.

I slammed the lid down on the laptop, jumped out of my chair and started pacing. Once or twice my eyes strayed to the dreamcatcher, gleaming innocently on the wall. Okay, it was the sleep deprivation getting to me. I was seeing things, imagining them. The dreams were stress related, it was the end of the semester, and summer was coming. Another summer without Josh. That explained all this. It was reasonable, and rational, and under no circumstances was I going to freak out.

Walking straight to my bed, I snatched up the notebook that held the internship application. I pulled it out, took it back to the desk, moved the laptop aside, and began filling it out. The next morning, after a night fleeing from giant wolves, I posted it off with a copy of Dr. J's recommendation. Two weeks later, after finals, I received an acceptance letter, a welcome packet and instructions to be in Port Angeles, Washington in seven days.

I was going to prove to myself, and anyone else that cared, that under no circumstances did giant, intelligent wolves exist outside of my dreams. Even if it killed me.


	3. Chapter 3: Beware of Dog

PART THREE: Beware of Dog

(Timeframe: Shortly after the events in Eclipse)

"Hey, ya gonna eat that?" Jared's hand darted out, snagging the last piece of bacon from Quil's plate. Quil was just a heartbeat too slow to prevent the thievery, and he glared balefully at his pack brother.

"Give that back."

"Give what back?" Jared grinned, making the bacon disappear... into his mouth.

"Boys, don't fight." Emily drifted behind them like a cool spring breeze, depositing two fresh strips of bacon on each of their plates. Jared grinned in triumph while Quil somewhat sulkily accepted his consolation prize. Neither of them left the bacon sitting long enough to cool.

"You can have the rest of mine too, Quil." Jacob shoved his nearly full plate towards him. Quil shared a worried glance with Embry across the table, and then made a show of accepting the offering, keeping it clear of Jared's sticky fingers.

Only the older members of the pack were present at the moment, enjoying Emily's hearty breakfast. Leah was leaning against the counter, daintily demolishing a second muffin while the boys circled the table, engaging in their usual mealtime war games. All except Jacob. He was silent, his eyes studying the pattern of his placemat as though it were the most fascinating thing in the world. The others walked on eggshells around him, uncertain of how to help him through his heartbreak. Except for Leah, every time she looked his way, she scowled.

"What was it you wanted to talk about, Sam?" Paul was down to sipping his coffee, and he looked at the pack leader expectantly.

"Well," Sam swallowed down another forkful of eggs, "seems the university is sending a research project down to this area." Curious looks were passed around as they waited for him to continue. "Curious thing they're looking for. Seems someone is convinced there are giant wolves running around these parts." As a whole, they all turned to look at Paul, who spit hot coffee out on the table.

"I wonder where that idea came from." Leah's voice dripped sarcasm, but she quickly took a large bite of her muffin when Sam gave her a quelling look.

"It should've been too dark for those pictures to come out. How was I supposed to know?" Paul grumbled, mopping up coffee with a napkin.

"Dire wolves," Jared mused thoughtfully. "It has a certain ring to it." Quil elbowed him, rolling his eyes. "What?"

"Anyway," Sam raised his voice just enough to command attention again. "It has come to our attention that the project is looking for guides familiar with the forests." He smiled. "I can't think of any better guides than us."

Embry was the first to see the bright side. "If it's a college research project... that means college girls." He grinned, sharing an enthusiastic look with Quil. Even though Quil had imprinted, given Claire's age, that didn't stop him from enjoying the company of a pretty girl.

"It may or may not mean that," Sam chuckled quietly. "The point is, this way we control what they see and what they find. We give them a thorough tour, flush out a few real wolves for them, and send them home with their questions answered the way we want them answered."

"Nice and neat," Embry said with satisfaction.

"Exactly." Sam nodded. His eyes moved briefly to Jacob, and it was obvious that he would have liked to ask his second in command to take charge of the task, but his frown made it clear that he didn't consider it an option. Instead he moved on to Embry, then Quil. It made sense, the two worked well together, and Jake might be willing to play relay for them as necessary. "Embry and Quil, I'll be sending you two for this."

"Aww man!" Paul sank down in his chair, pouting.

"C'mon dude, one temper tantrum and it'd be all over," Jared poked him, seemingly content with the fact he'd been passed over.

"Shut up, you've got a girlfriend," Paul grumbled back, twitching away from the pokes.

"You're better off without one, Paul." Jacob's voice was a soft growl, and again looks flew around the room, but Jake wouldn't meet any of their eyes.

"So when and where do we need to meet up with these people, Sam?" Embry drew the attention back to himself, trying to take the pressure off his friend.

"This afternoon. They're staying at the Dew Drop Inn in Forks for now, but they're coming to La Push to meet with their guides." He looked from Embry to Quil. "Can you handle this?"

Quil grinned. "We've got it covered, boss."

With a soft snort, Jacob pushed away from the table, rising to his feet. "I'm going out." He turned to go.

"Take care of yourself," Sam said quietly. He made no attempt to stop him, he knew, perhaps better than any of them, that the only thing that would heal Jacob's wounds was time. Jacob didn't answer, but simply nodded brusquely before disappearing out the door. Embry and Quil again traded looks, but one look at Sam's face kept them in their seats. "You have important work to do, brothers. Jake's just going to have to sort himself out today."

* * *

(Two days later)  
_Elizabeth POV__  
__  
_So. Washington. Land of moss and rain. Don't get me wrong, I spent most of my time in Oregon, so it wasn't vastly different. But somehow working on a real research project should have been exciting; instead I kept checking myself for mold. Even less impressive was our base of operations in a dinky motel in an equally dinky town called Forks.

It was hard to take things too seriously. Our little 'project' was less about research, and more about digging up a special for some basic cable channel. The film crew hovered, while their harried producer ran around and flailed, holding out the hope that a story would materialize through sheer force of will. On the bright side, the lead scientists, Dr. Austin Graves and Dr. Indira Shah, seemed to know their stuff. Dr. Graves was older, balding and rather fussy, Dr. Shah was in her 30's, practical, and did an excellent job of containing Dr. Graves' more neurotic tendencies. Strangely enough, they were dating.

Also on the menu were three other research assistants. Two guys and another girl. I shared my motel room with the girl, Chelsea. She was neat, quiet, and generally made me all but forget her presence. In a matter of hours I was homesick for Kat.

I don't think she missed me nearly as much.

"...Did you give him his special food?"

Kat sighed, and I thought I heard her ask a deity for patience. "Yes Betts, he got his special food."

"And you're spending some cuddle-time with him, right?"

"Yes Betts, Casper has never been more cuddled in his life."

I frowned. "You're sure he's coping okay?"

There was a pause. "Betts, do you want me to put the cat on the phone?"

I thought about it for a moment. "No, I don't want to upset him."

"Wise choice." Seizing on the opportunity, she changed the subject. "So did you do anything deeply interesting today?"

"Oh incredibly, if you like tree fungus." My voice dripped sarcasm. "The thing is, I have the oddest feeling the guides are laughing at us."

"Tell me a little more about them again?" Her voice was eager. Kat seemed to like the idea of being led through the woods by a tall, handsome native guy.

"I don't know. They're both pretty good looking. Really tall, that's for sure." I still hadn't figured out what the Quileutes were feeding their kids to make them grow like that. "Quil's got a good sense of humor. Embry's a little shy, but he seems to be warming up." I shrugged. "Neither of them was very friendly at first." That was an understatement. Both of them were well over six feet, heavily muscled, and when they'd arrived they'd worn identical expressions of stony disapproval.

"So which one do you like best?" Kat had _that_ tone to her voice. The matchmaker tone.

"Kat..." I sighed. "They're cute, really. I'm just not... looking for that right now." I frowned. "Actually I was thinking of going out on my own for a while this afternoon. It's weird, but I think Embry and Quil have been careful to only show us the Disney version of things."

Kat laughed. "Because the Olympic Peninsula just _screams_ 'seedy underbelly'."

Pulling the cellphone away from my ear slightly, I scowled at it. "I'm being serious, Kat. I just... think it would be worth it to look around without a guide." The first two days of tromping through the underbrush, we'd seen nothing more remarkable in the woods than an ill-tempered badger. I couldn't explain the why of it... I just needed to see things for myself.

"Betts... " She sighed again. "Do what you need to do. Whatever you need to do, to find some peace. I've got to run, babe. Be careful, and I'll expect a full report later."

"Will do." Frowning, I closed the phone, sitting in silence for a long moment. Then I got to my feet and started gathering my hiking gear.

* * *

"Okay, this kind of sucks." Quil cleaned a bit of dirt from under his nails, making a face at his companion as Embry merely shrugged. "C'mon, you can't tell me you didn't want more girls."

Embry rolled his eyes and grinned. "The two that are with them are actually pretty nice, you know." Chelsea had a shy smile he rather liked, and Elizabeth could be quite pretty when she cleaned up and wore her hair down.

"Yeah." It was his turn to shrug. "They're alright." He leaned back on his elbows on the bed, sighing heavily. "Just kind of bored I guess."

Embry flipped through the limited channels the motel TV offered, pausing on a movie. "Boring is good. The more boring we make it, the faster they'll pack up and leave."

Making a face, Quil let his head fall back. "That's kind of a boring thought, too. The leeches have been pretty tame lately. It feels like such a big letdown after that awesome fight." His lips twitched, and he cast a sly look Embry's way. "I suppose we could stir up a little trouble."

"Right, and if Jake didn't kill you for it, Sam would. And I'd let him." He glared back. "Just behave yourself."

Grumbling, Quil flopped back on the bed, then he went still, listening. "Where's that Elizabeth chick going?" Embry went still as well, tilting his head to the side.

"I don't know, but that's definitely her car."

"Some girl thing. Shopping or something," Quil tried to shrug it off, getting up to check the window. The Honda was already gone.

"In Forks?" Scooting to the edge of the bed, Embry stuck his feet into his tennis shoes "I mean, it's possible. But do you really want to be the one to do the explaining if she gets in trouble?" He stood, not bothering with a shirt. "We at least need to see if Jake's out there and give him a heads up."

"Alright." Quil followed suit. "Damn girl, I bet she just wanders around for an hour or two and gets lost."

Embry sighed and turned the doorknob. "That's what we'll hope for."

* * *

_Elizabeth POV_

The afternoon drifted seamlessly into evening, with no more to mark its passing than a shift in the light that filtered down through the trees. I'd picked this trail at random because it was remote and looked interesting, but the farther I went the more I wondered if something had drawn me here. The forest closed in around me like a lover's arms, walls of green rising to the canopy as far as the eye could see. It was incredibly vast, and yet almost intimate.

Like my dream.

A shiver went through me, and I pulled my jacket a little closer. Everything was damp here, and even at midsummer there was a chill. I put my hand on the mossy trunk of an ancient tree, stepping over the jutting knees of its roots and down into a quiet hollow. I imagined an explorer, or a native finding this spot generations ago, using the sheltering lap of the tree to make camp. Had they been lost in this verdant maze? Doomed never to leave it?

Taking a deep breath, I put my hand in my pocket, closing my fingers against the comforting weight of my GPS unit. Even if that forgotten wanderer had not been so lucky, I still had a way out. Turning it over in my hand, I climbed to the lip of the hollow. As I stepped over the threshold, I heard an odd sound. Louder than a breath, but not quite a sigh, it raised the hair on the back of my neck.

"Just the wind," I murmured, although the foliage around me was still. Then I felt the eyes on me.

Heart pounding, I tried to resist the urge to turn around. But it was as though this scene were already scripted, and I merely had to play my part.

I turned, and just as in a every dream that preceded that moment, he waited for me. Reality did not disappoint, my brain choked on taking in his massive shape. Some detached part of me declared that there was no way this was a dire wolf. While large in comparison to the grey wolf, dire wolves had still been natural, _reasonable_. 50 kilo, 80 at the most. The monster staring me down with his dark, intelligent eyes was at least 250k, maybe more.

Taking a deep breath, I wondered what the value would be in screaming. Did dying feel better if you screamed first? Like you'd at least done _something_? Or was going quietly into the jaws of a hungry wolf the better part of valor? Suddenly I had the ignoble urge to giggle.

The desire was fleeting, as the giant wolf crouched, lips drawing back from his huge, white teeth as a growl like thunder rumbled through me. Then I knew... karma had finally caught up with me. I was going to die.


	4. Chapter 4: The Silver Cord

PART FOUR: The Silver Cord

Imagine a silver cord, connecting two hearts; pulled tight as a bowstring, the tension hums between them like a living thing. Imagine then the hand of Fate, reaching out to pluck that cord. A clear, pure tone rings out, and the world stops on its axis for the space of a breath. Two hearts beat in synch, once unknown to one another, only now made intensely, irrevocably aware.

_Jacob POV_

'You are cordially invited_._' Cordially invited to watch the woman you love marry a corpse. That blessed opportunity slithered closer every day.

_How many times are you going to recite the freaking invitation to us?_ Leah's voice had long since lost its bite for me. Not that she was any less of a bitch, I'd just stopped listening.

_Shut up, Leah, or I swear I'm going to knock you into next week. _Paul actually meant it, too. I wondered if I'd remember to thank him. Right now, I couldn't put the words together.

Instead I concentrated on what the wolf knew. Soft earth beneath strong legs, dappled sunlight shining down through the treetops, and all around a world defined as much by smell as by sight. I ran along a game trail now, following in the footsteps of an elk and her calf. The wolf didn't care who Bella Swan was and thought nothing of foreign concepts like marriage. He knew love, but thought of it in terms of winning and protecting his mate, siring her pups, watching them grow. None of those were things she wanted. She would never want them, because soon she'd be worse than dead. I ran faster, pushing my body even harder.

Distantly, I sensed Leah phase, her consciousness dropping out of the pack mind. It still took effort to ignore her, so I counted it as a relief. Almost as quickly as she was gone, two more voices took her place.

_Jake_, Embry's voice sounded relieved. _We've got a bit of a problem. _For just a moment, I was tempted to ignore him too, but immediately felt guilty for it. I was closer to their location than anyone else, and maybe I was getting tired of being a bitter asshole. Especially to my two most loyal friends. They deserved better.

_What's up?_ He didn't tell me so much as let his thoughts flow together with mine. In moments I knew what had him worried. I knew the girl, her name, what she looked like, and most importantly I knew her scent. _You like her_. I poked him about it a little, enjoying having something to ponder that didn't hurt.

_Hey, I saw her first!_ Quil protested, but I could tell he was as amused as I was.

_She's nice_. If wolves could blush, Embry's coat would be as red as mine. All the more reason to make sure nothing messed up his chances with her.

I had already altered my course, trying to anticipate where she might have gone. _Should we join you?_

_No, on the off chance things go bad, better to have only one of us involved. Stay put. _If this Elizabeth Foster caught a glimpse of one giant wolf, she might well write it off as a hallucination. A pack of them would be harder to ignore. Hopefully all I'd need to do was find her, keep an eye on her and warn the others away.

That was when I crossed the bear's trail. I paused, processing the information that my nose was telling me. Female, mature, and she had a cub with her. _Dammit.__  
__  
What's wrong? _I shared the scent with them.

_Find her, Jake._ Embry's concern might have something to do with the fact that he was attracted to this girl. But we were all too familiar with the fact that a mother bear was like a loaded gun. All it took was one false move to set her off.

The bear's trail ran parallel to the highway, so I kept myself between them. It was like she was trying to find a safe place to cross the asphalt river. That concerned me, if she were running this shallow in the woods, it only increased her chances of coming across an unsuspecting hiker. My concern spiked when I suddenly hit the scent I'd been searching for.

Fuck. I charged forward, hoping beyond hope that I would make it before those two scent trails converged. For an instant I thought the girl had dodged a bullet when she turned, her scent was pulling me straight ahead. For a few brief moments, it ran between the highway and the bear like the center stripe of a road. Then she turned again, putting them on a collision course with only a matter of minutes for me to find them.

When I finally saw her, she was climbing out of a hollow at the base of a giant spruce. She was tall for a girl, with an easy way of moving, not at all like Bella's less than graceful manner. Her red-gold curls caught the fading light and held it; the highlights in them turning silver. I approached slowly from behind, trying to pinpoint the bear's location. I knew she was close, but still out of sight.

In hindsight, I can't say why I moved as close to her as I did. It was almost as if I was drawn in by something I couldn't quite explain. Her scent was nice, clean and sweet with an undertone of something floral. She was slender, like a willow sapling, with subtle curves for her hips and her breasts. I could tell, even from behind, that she was small, but hardly flat-chested. So sue me, I'm a guy, we notice these things.

I sensed her shift her weight just before she turned, and as she spun to face me, the bear materialized from the underbrush. There was no way I could flee now, not when I knew the moment I saw her that the bear was poised to attack.

For just an instant, Elizabeth Foster's eyes met mine. Hers were blue, dark as ocean depths. And though I held them only briefly, between one heartbeat and the next my world changed irrevocably.

I heard a sound, not with my ears, but with something deeper, something intrinsic to the creature who called himself Jacob Black. Clear and pure, it sang through me, doing its work without mercy. Imprinting, we called it. Recognition was more accurate. When you looked at a woman and knew her to the depths of her soul though you had no more information about her _outer_ self than her name.

And in that moment, when the bear rose up on her hind legs, desperate to defend the cub that cowered behind her, I understood that desire perfectly. Because I would die before I allowed _anyone _to harm so much as a hair on Elizabeth's head.

My lips drew back from my teeth, and a savage, primal growl rolled through me. Distantly I realized that Elizabeth was staring at me, her expression unreadable. I had no time to puzzle it out, my attention was fixed on the bear.

I surged forward, lunging past the girl. My teeth snapped together with a sound like a gunshot, the only warning the mother bear was going to get. I knew she was intimidated, I was more than a match for her, but she wouldn't back down. As long as she was within striking distance of my mate, that was something I couldn't forgive. Squaring off, I prepared to attack, when the last thing I could have imagined happened.

"No!" Hands sank into the fur on my shoulder, holding on, trying to pull me back. "You can't do that! She's just protecting her cub!" I firmly shook her off, unsure of how to respond to that level of crazy. Which was apparently the _wrong _response, because then she jumped between me and the bear. There was a pleading look in her eyes as she gazed at me, willing me to understand. Crazy _and_ stupid, _fucking hell_. "Please..."

I lost a critical moment while I boggled at her, and all the sudden movement was too much for the bear. She attacked, one of her claws raking down Elizabeth's right shoulder blade. There was no thought involved on my part as she screamed. I slammed into the she-bear like a freight train, the impact sending the animal toppling backwards. I gave her no time to recover, seizing her throat with a vicious shake of my head.

Fury was a blinding thing and underneath it lay fear. I'd survived losing Bella, but it had cost me. To lose my match, my imprinted mate, so quickly after finding her... I wasn't sure I knew how to survive that. As I crouched there, the she-bear's life clenched between my jaws, my eyes caught sight of the cub, trembling as it watched. Elizabeth had put her life at risk to protect them. That, more than anything else, was what kept me from ripping out the damned bear's throat. Instead I let go and grabbed her by the scruff. Dragging her back toward the thicket she'd emerged from, I snarled menacingly as I released my grip. I wanted to make it absolutely clear that the only choice she had was to retreat with her cub.

Fortunately the bears wasted no time in fleeing, and I didn't wait to see them gone. Elizabeth was on her knees, curled in on herself. The back of her jacket and the clothing beneath was torn to ribbons on the right side, the fabric already turning dark with blood. Through the rents in fabric and skin, I could see the pale gleam of bone. She was trembling like a leaf in the wind, going into shock.

_Jake!! We're coming!_ Embry's voice was frantic, and I wondered how long they'd been shouting at me.

_Not here..._ I hesitated. If we took her to the hospital, the leeches would be there. But as soon as I thought that, I felt a small pang of guilt. Carlisle Cullen had done his best for me. No matter what I thought of his son, I had to admit the doctor was trustworthy. _The hospital. _They had the same doubts I did, but they didn't voice them.

_We'll be there_, Quil said firmly.

I circled around Elizabeth, crouching down to touch her face with my nose. She raised her head, and again I felt that shock of recognition when our eyes met. Something in her face told me I wasn't alone in that. I tried to be as non-threatening as possible, whining softly as I slowly wagged my tail. I needed to phase, but I didn't want her to freak out on me. She hesitated, and then pulled her left hand away from her injured shoulder. It was covered in blood, but she didn't seem to notice, reaching out to rest her hand on my muzzle. "I'm losing my mind," she whispered.

Well, it was better than screaming. I could work with that. I pulled back slowly, then wheeled around, bounding down into the hollow below the spruce tree. The change was swift and effortless. I tugged on the pants I had with me and was back at her side in a matter of moments.

Even then I wasn't ready for the shock of electricity that hit me when my hand touched her face. I hissed through my teeth, gently cupping her cheek. "Elizabeth," I had to fight not to grin like an idiot when I said her name. "Stay with me, okay? I'm going to get you out of here."

Dazed blue eyes looked up at me and she frowned. "You have the same eyes."

"I promise I'll explain that later." Very carefully, I pulled her against me. She weighed next to nothing in my arms, and I rose to my feet, trying hard not to jostle her. "But first I need to get you taken care of. You have a car nearby, right?"

She nodded. "Yeah."

Finding it was easy, just a matter of retracing the way she'd come. Her wounds were still bleeding profusely, I could feel the warm wetness of her blood running down my arm. Unfortunately I didn't have anything to stop it with, so I focused on getting her to someone that did. She was in and out of consciousness as I ran, which was probably for the best. I could only imagine the amount of pain she was in, though she never made a sound.

When we reached the blue Accord, she roused long enough to help me locate the keys in her jacket pocket. She grit her teeth, lips a tight, white line as I tucked her into the passenger seat. I started the car and got it moving, struggling to keep my eyes on the road and off her pale face.

"Can you see it?" Her eyes were closed, her voice little more than a murmur.

"What, baby?" I frowned, daring to reach out and brush a strand of red-gold hair from her face. "What do you see?"

Blue eyes found me as they opened, and I swear they saw into places I shared with no one. "The silver cord." Her trembling hand lifted, fingers flexing, as she touched something that went beyond sight... there in the air between us. "It's right here."

"Yeah..." I smiled, and I knew in that moment that I was lost beyond all hope. "I think I do."


	5. Chapter 5: An Uneasy Truce

PART FIVE: An Uneasy Truce

_Jacob POV_

Embry and Quil were waiting when we reached the hospital. As I lifted Beth from the car and started toward the ER entrance, they closed ranks on either side of me. Embry lightly touched her cheek, grimacing. "She's going into shock, Jake."

"I know." The words were a growl, and I held onto her a little tighter, fear burning through me with every heartbeat. It was a relief to hear Carlisle Cullen's voice as soon as I stepped through the sliding doors. I never thought I'd say that about one of the bloodsuckers.

He was on the phone, and I saw his eyes flick our way almost immediately. "Yes, Alice darling. Everything's fine. Yes. They just arrived." He paused. "No. I don't think that would be a good idea. I'm sure." His voice was calm and reassuring, but there was a subtle undertone of authority to it. "No. In fact I think that would be the very worst thing you could do." Putting his hand over the receiver, he called a nurse over and then sent her to my side. "Yes dear, of course I will. Everything will be fine. I'll let you know as soon as we're done here."

I didn't catch the very end of the conversation, the nurse had me in hand and shortly I was setting Beth down on a gurney. Quil had taken up station in the waiting room, watching for more leeches to turn up. Embry stayed nearby, but out of the way.

I didn't want to let her go, I realized that the moment they began to swarm over her, shooing me out of the way. I almost lost control of myself until Embry pulled me firmly back with him, keeping a hand on my shoulder until I was calm again. "Let them do what the need to do, bro." His voice was firm but gentle.

"I'm sorry." I never took my eyes off of her as they attached their wires and tubes, cutting away her clothes so they could access her injuries.

"For what?" He honestly seemed puzzled.

A sheepish smile tugged at my lips, and I looked away from Beth long enough to meet his eyes. "You had first claim on her."

Embry snorted, rolling his eyes. "The dumb fucker finds his _soulmate_ and he apologizes. Unbelievable." He patted my shoulder again. "Jake, you know if it makes you happy, I'm happy."

Any response I might have made was cut off when Dr. Cullen appeared. He gave calm, quiet instructions to his staff, orders about fluids and units of blood and painkillers. They had her turned on her side, keeping pressure off the wounds. I watched intently as he gently explored the torn flesh with long, deft fingers, never showing a moment of tension, not even the slightest hint that the blood bothered him. He made a request of a hovering nurse, and carefully began cleaning the long, deep stripes the bear's claws had made.

"I'm taking particular care here because I need to be sure we don't seal in any infection with stitches," he explained without looking at me. At the unspoken invitation, I drifted closer. "I mean no offense," he murmured so quietly that it was obviously meant only for our ears. "But was this a wolf attack?"

I stiffened, but quickly mastered the reaction. I knew there was no way I could have asked that question calmly if the situation were reversed. "No." The intense memories of the moment washed over me again. "It was a bear. Mother with a cub."

Cullen's eyebrows lifted. "She's very lucky you were there." He knew as well as I did the kind of damage a mother bear could inflict. He pushed aside what remained of her clothing after they'd cut the back open, and something caught my eye. Beth had a tattoo on the left, uninjured shoulder blade. A wolf, howling at a full moon, elegantly drawn in sharp black against her fair skin. Beneath the picture were four characters written in bold letters. 'JB4E'

What the hell? A million questions rattled around in my brain wanting answers as I looked at Beth's unconscious face. I needed to know what it meant, I needed her to open her eyes and look at me so I could ask.

"Sir?" A nurse appeared at my elbow. She held a cellphone that was cheerfully playing 'Every Little Thing She Does is Magic' by the Police. "This was in her jacket pocket and it keeps ringing." With no further ado, she handed it to me, clearly intending for me to answer it.

I gingerly accepted the phone and looked down at the display. The caller ID said 'Kat'. Flipping it open, I held it up to my ear.

"Oh thank the Mother you finally answered!" The voice was female, young. Probably a friend. "I'm sorry I kept calling, I just had this awful feeling that something was wrong." She hesitated, then rushed onward. "It reminded me of the night of the accident. I know, I know, don't bring it up. But you're not the only one with bad memories of that night, Betts." Betts? So this Kat was a close enough friend to use a nickname. I was intrigued and a bit jealous. "Betts, you there?" Anxiety crept into the girl's tone. "Hello? Earth to Elizabeth..."

"Uh, hi..."

There was a long moment of silence. "Who the hell are you, and why do you have Elizabeth's phone?" Her voice had gone icy. Startled, I couldn't immediately think of an answer. Duh. "If you don't put Elizabeth on the phone right this second, I'm going to call the police, the National Guard, and my bouncer ex-boyfriend."

"This is Jacob Black-"

She cut me off. "Jacob Black, I want to speak with Elizabeth. Now. Or I will call in favors from every deity in creation and _seriously_ fuck up your mojo!" Well, that wasn't something you heard everyday...

Embry put a hand on my arm. "Is that Kat? She's Beth's roommate. I'll talk to her." He didn't wait for me to respond, but plucked the cellphone away. "Kat? This is Embry Call-" He paused, laughed. "Yeah, that Embry." For a moment he just listened, nodding. "I'm sorry about that, Jake's just trying to help. Now listen to me for a sec. There was an accident, Elizabeth got hurt." A pause. "Yeah, she's going to be okay. They're working on her right now." More nodding. "Um... I'm sure they have it, but it might be better if you called them? Yeah, that would be great." Again, quiet, and his eyes slid to me, suddenly worried. "I... don't think that's necessary, but if you want to, I suppose... Yeah, we're in Forks. Okay. Sure, I'll have her call you as soon as she's able. Thanks, Kat. Bye."

Embry whistled softly as he snapped the phone closed. "Wow." He handed it back to me, then patted my shoulder again. "Good luck, man. You're gonna need it. She _completely_ hates your guts."


	6. Chapter 6: Constructive Insanity

PART SIX: Constructive Insanity

_Elizabeth POV__  
_  
I awakened slowly, disoriented. I was laying on my side, the soft beep of the monitors keeping time with my heart. Dull fire crawled up my back, and I shuddered, struggling to remember how I'd gotten here. The need for something familiar was fierce, so I opened my eyes and realized that someone was sitting by the bed. All I could see of him was dark skin and dark hair; his arms were folded on top of the blanket, his face hidden in them. He slept like that, completely relaxed, his breathing slow and deep. I'm not sure how long I watched him before I realized that one of my hands was gently clasped in his.

All at once, I remembered his eyes. I remembered a silver cord and a clear, sweet tone of possession. I remembered that the wolf who stalked my dreams had finally escaped them, stepping into reality to wear the form of a man.

Biting my lip, I carefully pulled my hand away from his. I hesitated, and then lightly touched his dark hair. It was soft and thick, and I curled my fingers through the sleek strands. He sighed and I went still, my heart racing. When a long, still moment passed I thought I was safe; my fingertips feathered across his hair again. Then he lifted his head and our eyes met.

I shivered at the impact, as the world tilted crazily on its axis. That simple contact stirred up feelings in me that I'd buried down deep, completely beyond my control, and I was certain I didn't like that. This was madness, and a part of me wanted it so badly that it hurt.

"Are you cold?" His voice was pleasantly deep, and the way he watched me... that made me shiver, too. "Are you in pain?"

"No." The hurt was bearable, although I wasn't sure it would stay that way if I moved around. "You were in my dreams." Without meaning to, I had blurred the lines in my head between wolf and man. "Why were you in my dreams?"

"I don't know." A warm, impossibly sweet smile curved his lips. "But if you want me to apologize, you're going to be waiting a while." He hesitated, and then carefully reached out with one big hand. His fingertips started at my temple and moved slowly downward, stroking gently down the side of my face. "Beth." The way he said my name... it was soft, wondering, as though he savored the taste of it on his lips.

"I don't know _your_ name," I said quietly, trying to keep the edge out of my voice.

"Jacob Black." His very warm, strong hand stroked my face again, and the smile returned. "Jake."

"Jake." I tried to remind myself of the person I was. A scientist, an educated woman, rational and cautious. Not someone that believed in love at first sight, or could accept the fact that within hours of meeting, Jacob Black had leached into blood and bone, into every part of me that mattered. None of this was healthy or sane, I hadn't even known his name until just a moment ago. "Where are we?"

"The hospital in Forks."

Abruptly I tried to push myself into a sitting position. "I need to get going. I have to report back, they should know where I am." Pain ripped down my shoulder-blade as I moved, but I welcomed it. Pain offered clarity, and apparently I wasn't thinking clearly. At all.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, where do you think you're going?" He was immediately on his feet, wrapping his arms around me. "A bear ripped your back open today. Even if you were in any shape to go, it's the middle of the night."

"I don't want to be here." I meant to say it firmly, defiantly, instead it sounded shaky and on the verge of tears. I tried to move again, tried to shrug his hands off. "I want to go home. Kat's probably has no idea, and Casper misses me-"

"Beth..." His voice was incredibly tender, so much so that I looked up at him, startled. "Kat knows. She called your parents, too." Moving with surprising grace for someone his size, he slipped around my assortment of tubes and wires, lifting me long enough to settle into the bed. Then he made himself into a very warm, supple pillow that he deftly snuggled me into, supporting me upright enough so that I could see, but keeping my injured shoulder free of pressure or constriction. "Is that better?" His voice had become a soft rumble beneath my ear.

I closed my eyes, breathing in his scent. It was woodsy and warm, distinctly masculine, with a hint of some exotic spice; intriguing in a way that made me want to bury my nose in his t-shirt. "Yeah, I think so."

He took a deep breath and groaned. "God you smell so good." I couldn't help it, when he echoed my thoughts that way, I giggled. "What?"

"Nothing." I giggled again as he nuzzled my hair. I absolutely shouldn't be doing this, but knowing that didn't stop me.

"Okay, if you're going to keep laughing, at least let me in on the joke." He feigned a hurt tone, but I could tell he was teasing.

"I'm losing my mind." More laughing.

"So you keep saying." His nose skimmed the top of my head again. "You really do smell amazing," he murmured into my hair.

A little shiver went through me, and I laid my cheek against his chest, making a bargain with myself. Tonight I'd be vulnerable, tonight I'd let him hold me and keep me warm. In the morning there would be time to be firm and sane. In the morning I could stand on my own feet and tell him that I didn't want all of these things that kept happening so naturally between us. In the morning.

Just not right now.

"That's right, baby," he murmured as the tension slipped away from me. "Just go back to sleep. I'm here."


	7. Chapter 7: Josh Wolfe

PART SEVEN: Josh Wolfe

_Jacob POV_

A nurse came in around dawn to check Beth's vitals. I woke up as she entered the room, remaining still but watchful. She arched an eyebrow, but didn't comment, taking the numbers she needed and quietly retreating. I suspected Cullen had let it be known that I would be staying the night, and not to bother us. Assuming I was right, it was just one more thing I owed him for.

Settling back, I stroked Beth's long, strawberry-blonde curls, pleased that she was completely relaxed against me. When she'd woken up last night there were moments when I'd sensed she was upset. Moments when I had doubts about pushing my luck. Imprinting was not an easy thing for anyone to accept. I had the benefit of drawing on the experience of three pack brothers. She'd been caught completely unaware. I knew better than to expect miracles overnight but, I won't lie, I was elated she'd let me hold her.

Yawning, I let my head fall back, my fingers still sliding through Beth's hair. When I woke up yesterday morning, the first thing I'd thought about was Bella. Should I feel guilty that today was different? I hadn't suddenly stopped loving Bella. That wasn't true at all. The feelings were still there, still strong. But the empty place she'd left when she made her choice had been filled with something wonderful. The gaping wound in my heart was finally beginning to heal. Best of all, I knew that would make her happy. So I put away those thoughts for now and let myself doze.

I have no idea how much time passed before the commotion started. One moment I was a wolf, chasing a lovely golden she-wolf through the woods, the next I was jolted out of sleep by the sound of raised voices.

"You left her alone with him last night? What the hell were you thinking?!" That was a female voice, suspiciously familiar.

"He wouldn't do anything to hurt her!" Embry protested, defensive.

They were at the door now. Embry, a nurse, and with them a petite, dark-haired girl. "Okay, he's obviously biased," the girl said angrily, then turned on the nurse. "What were _you_ thinking?" The nurse sputtered, taken off-guard, and the girl gave up with a growl of frustration. She swept into the room and headed straight for the bed, glaring down at me with vivid green eyes. "Jacob Black, I presume?"

"Maybe... Who wants to know?" I already had a good idea, but I wanted confirmation.

"Katrina McAllister, Elizabeth's best friend." She touched Beth's cheek, smoothing back red-gold hair from her forehead. "Great mother, Betts, you look like death warmed over." She scowled at me like it was all my fault and I glared right back, making no attempt to untangle myself from Beth.

"Kat..." Beth's soft voice ended the glaring contest. Her lashes, the same honeyed color as her hair, fluttered and then parted.

"Hey B." Kat stroked her face again, immediately softening. "How you feeling?"

"I've been better." I could sense the tension in Beth. With her friend there she was uncomfortable that we were sharing the bed. Yeah, not liking this Kat-person. She struggled to sit up, and we both reached for her at the same time. After a moment's hesitation, I reluctantly helped Kat support her. Beth was hurting, but she never made a sound, not even when her face went ghostly pale and she trembled. "You didn't have to come up here."

"Of course I did. You were hurt and surrounded by a bunch of strangers," the look Kat gave me then was withering. "What, did you think I'd just cast you to the wolves?" I was glad she didn't realize how close to the mark she'd just hit.

"Where's Casper?"

"Casper's fine. He's got food and water, Mrs. Carter has a key and she's going to look in on him." Kat was trying awfully hard to be reassuring about it.. I still wasn't entirely sure what 'Casper' was, but apparently he was important to Beth.

"Okay." Beth seemed doubtful, but didn't press the point.

I got a whiff of leech just before someone cleared their throat discreetly from the doorway. "Mr. Black, if you and Miss McAllister could step out for a few minutes, I need to check on Elizabeth's injuries." Cullen stepped into view, a polite smile on his face.

I frowned, but I didn't see a way around leaving the room, especially not when both of the girls were eyeing me expectantly. Carefully extricating myself, I took a chance and brushed a soft kiss across Beth's forehead. She looked surprised, then thoughtful. Kat looked like she wanted to skin me. It was worth it.

"Well, this will be nice. I wanted to talk to you anyway," Kat said a bit too cheerfully, towing me out the door. I distinctly heard Beth sigh as we left, but I'm not sure if it was meant for me or for Kat. Fuck, this was going to be more fun than a root canal.

Kat towed me all the way to the lobby and out the front door, heading for a stand of trees on the edge of the parking lot. Embry and Quil followed, but kept a careful distance. I don't think she was fooled for a second.

"I don't care who you think you are, or what you think you're doing," she began fiercely. "But this is going to stop right now." She started pacing, her gauzy skirt swirling around slim legs. "Beth is not the kind of girl you can play games with. She feels things too deeply, gets too involved. Embry told me about the whole sweeping her up out of the woods, saving her life thing, please don't think I'm not grateful," that didn't concern me, I was too busy wondering when she'd done all this talking to Embry. When I turned to look at him, he studiously avoided my eyes.

"But she's still so fragile." Kat stopped and looked up at me, willing me to understand. "She can't even stand to be in Corvallis during the summer. That's why she took that stupid research project in the first place." Green eyes were suddenly intense. "I know you're thinking 'summer break, it won't mean anything,' but you're wrong."

"I'm not the only one that's got it wrong," I growled, her ranting and all of her assumptions were getting annoying.

"Excuse me?" I almost took a step back at the look on her face. Almost. I caught myself. "What the _fuck_ do you call that little stunt last night? You know, when you hopped into bed with her?"

I flushed. "She was alone and in pain. I was trying to comfort her."

"Comfort her. Right. And of course it's easier to get in her pants if she's not wearing any to begin with."

I started shaking, my control beginning to slip. "You have no idea what you're talking about."

"Kat..." Embry had appeared at my shoulder and now he pushed past me. "You've got the wrong idea. I won't deny that Jake is a very forward guy, he's not being as cautious with this as he should be. But there really is more going on here than you realize." What he did then surprised the hell out of me. Stepping forward, he tentatively took Kat's hand, holding it between both of his. I was shocked to see her blush, but she was definitely listening now. "Trust me when I say that the last thing Jake would want is to see Beth hurt. Physically or emotionally."

The way they were looking at each other... "No way," I said softly.

"Not what you're thinking, no." Quil had come up on my other side, his voice pitched just for my ears. "But they did spend most of last night talking on the phone while she drove up here." He sounded deeply amused. "Em said it was to keep them both awake." From the tone of his voice, Quil didn't buy it, and neither did I. I would have grinned if the object of Embry's budding affection hadn't been intent on flaying me alive.

Still... I needed more information. The little bits and pieces that Kat had thrown out were worrying, but I couldn't quite put them all together. "What does JB4E mean?"

Startled out of their quiet conversation, Embry and Kat turned to face me. Embry was curious, Kat was stunned and heading towards angry again. "Where did you see that?"

"Answer my question."

"Not until you tell me where you saw it," she snapped.

"Answer the question, first." I crossed my arms and glared down at her. I wasn't giving ground on this. I just had a feeling it was important.

"You bastard," she snarled at me, furious. If she were a wolf, we'd be right on the verge of throwing down right now. Then she made a disgusted sound and backed off, obviously debating how to answer my question. "It means 'Josh and Beth Forever," she said reluctantly.

Okay, that didn't help much. "Just so you know...I saw it when the doctor was working on her back," I admitted, and she relaxed a little. Did she really think I'd stripped her down? "Now, who's Josh?"

She narrowed her eyes at me, but gave in with a sigh. "Josh is her fiancė." My heart stopped, and I heard Quil suck in a sharp breath. Fortunately for my health, she kept talking. "Josh Wolfe died three years ago. In a car accident over summer break."

I blinked. Of all the things I could have expected, that wasn't one of them. I suppose it was a relief, and yet I couldn't make myself believe that. The girl I'd found myself inexplicably bound to was still a mystery, but a mystery steeped in sadness. "Tell me more?" I chewed my lip, and something in my expression seemed to melt away some of Kat's resistance. "Please, I need to know."

Her eyes hardened again. "I don't see why it's any of your business."

"Do you believe in Fate?"

She looked startled, taken off-guard. "I suppose I do."

"Then believe me when I say that Fate is bringing me and Beth together." I hesitated. "I don't know where it will go from here. I don't know how to make this work, but... I think I need to know the whole story, Kat. For both our sakes."

The sincerity in my voice seemed to touch her as nothing else had. She stared at me for another long moment. Then, closing her eyes, she began her story. "Josh and Beth... they were that couple. The couple everyone knew would make it, that we expected to see at reunions with their grandkids. They were beautiful." She smiled sadly at the memory. "Beth was invited to a midsummer party by some friends from class. Typical frat party." She shrugged. "Josh didn't drink, his real dad was an alcoholic. They fought about it, and Beth went without him." Kat ran a hand through her hair, getting emotional. Embry shifted closer and quietly took her free hand. "Of course he wasn't going to let her drive. He picked her up... and on the way home they were hit by a drunk driver."

She paused for a moment and tried to get a hold of herself, tears shining in her green eyes. "She was pretty banged up. They think she was thrown clear. But when the paramedics got there, she was on the pavement with him. Holding him." Her voice broke. "He was already dead..." She took a shaky breath. "Beth won't talk about it. She's never actually told anyone what happened. But she blames herself. She thinks it's her fault that Josh is dead." When she met my eyes this time, hers were pleading. "Do you understand now? She has mornings when it's all she can do to get out of bed. You can't treat her like just another girl."

The information was overwhelming and I needed some time to process it. I wasn't sure how it would change things yet. We were a fated pair, nothing would change that, but I realized with a surge of guilt that I'd been pushing her way too fast. She'd tried to let me know, maybe in the only way she knew how, but the fact that I'd gotten as much of a response from her as I did was a testament to the strength of our bond. Not only that, I felt a sort of awe at Kat's revelations. Beth had lost someone too, she knew the same sort of pain that I did. Bella wasn't dead, but our lives had completely diverged. The loss was real. We needed each other, Beth and me, maybe together was the only way we could heal.

Gotta hand it to Fate, maybe it really _did_ know what it was doing.

"I understand," I said quietly. "Thank you for telling me, it's information I need to have." I paused, trying to choose my words carefully. "I want you to know that I have no intention of treating Beth like 'just another girl'." I grinned ruefully. "I don't know how much Embry has told you about our customs here... But for now, all you need to know is that Elizabeth Foster is the most important person in my world." Kat frowned, looking at Embry, who simply nodded in agreement with what I'd said.

"Oh great." Kat rolled her eyes. "You're all as nutty as we are. It's a match made in heaven." She shook her head, but she was smiling. I was relieved that the tension was broken, at least for the moment.

His hand still holding hers, Embry started tugging Kat back toward the building. "I thought you said you were a Buddhist last month. Who's nutty now?"

"Hey, I have freedom of religion in this country, you know," she replied archly, bumping shoulders with him. Oh yeah, they were totally into each other. I let them lead the way, trying to control my eagerness to see Beth again, to make sure she was okay.

"You sure know how to pick 'em, Jake," Quil said quietly, falling in beside me.

"Sure, sure, this from the man whose soulmate isn't even old enough for preschool yet."

"Hey!"

"Just saying."


	8. Chapter 8: Now and Forever

PART EIGHT: Now and Forever

_Elizabeth POV_

Dr. Cullen said that I was doing well and he was comfortable letting me go. Without my having to ask, a sweet-faced nurse brought me a set of scrubs to replace my ruined clothing. She closed the door, took the shirt from my shaky hands and helped me put it on. I'm not good at that, asking for help. If I'm okay, then I don't need help. If I need help... Well, you get the picture.

They had a sling for my right arm, to prevent me from using the torn muscles in my shoulder. It itched at the back of my neck, and I was grateful when the nurse quietly offered to braid my hair. I sat still, eyes half-closed as she pulled a brush through the long, unruly curls. It reminded me of being a child, of simpler days when my mother had done this for me. I had always found it soothing then, too. The nurse separated out the strands and began to twist them, and I wondered idly where the others had gone. Kat had been working herself up to a fury. Jake... I frowned. I wasn't sure what he would do.

Jake. How was I supposed to handle that? In the light of day, when I was alone, the drugs mostly gone and the pain less intense, it seemed easy to call it all a big misunderstanding. I'd been delirious, he'd gotten the wrong idea, end of story. Right?

I looked down at my left hand. My empty, lonely left hand. The hand that had never looked right since the day I'd taken my ring off. White gold, with an oval diamond and two smaller sapphires, one on each side, I could still see it with perfect clarity in my mind. Josh said he'd picked it because the sapphires made him think of my eyes. I clenched my hand into a fist, refusing to feel the weight of that phantom ring. It was still in my jewelry box at the apartment, hidden away in a small velvet pouch. I'd cried for three days after his mother refused to take it. She'd said it was mine, that Josh would never have forgiven her if she took it from me. She didn't seem to understand that I didn't want his ring... I wanted _Josh_.

The tears were in my eyes as the nurse tied off my hair. I smiled at her, murmured my thanks. I think she asked if I wanted to wait in the room for my friends to come back. I just nodded, trying to get my balance back in that place where I could be okay. I was so close, but Kat was the first person through the door. She took one look at my face, and damn her, she knew me too well; I couldn't hide it. When I closed my eyes, I felt the tears roll down my cheeks.

Without a word, she turned around and herded the three giants on her heels back out into the hallway. The moment I heard Jake's voice, vigorously protesting, I started shaking. "Embry... Please." Kat's voice was an urgent whisper. "Help me, help _him_. Give me a few minutes to pull her back together. Please." The door shut firmly, and then Kat was running across the room to me. There were no questions, she knew the answers already. She simply gathered me into her arms, rocking me back and forth as I sobbed against her shoulder.

"Shhh, it's okay. It's okay, Betts. That's right, just let it go." I hadn't done this in nearly a year. I don't know that I could ever call myself cured, but I had felt reasonably bulletproof. That was before the wolf dreams, before the forest, before the silver cord sang in my head, trying to reach through the walls to find its match. "Elizabeth, what am I going to do with you, missy?" Kat was trying to keep her tone light, but I could hear the tears in her voice, too. "Dragging me up here, making me deal with those rude boys, and now you're getting my shirt all wet." She rested her cheek against the top of my head, her arms tightening around me. It hurt the wounds on my back, but I didn't care.

"I'm sorry..."

"Sorry for what?" She laughed softly. "For an excess of love? Literature is full of all the tragic souls who can't live without their loves. You _are_ living, Betts. I know how hard it is, everyday. But you're still fighting. You're still here." More laughter, but now I knew she was crying. "Screw Juliet, what a pathetic little wimp. You're the heroine, Betts."

I took a shaky breath. "I don't feel like one." I felt damaged, incomplete; like a very weak, pathetic little girl. "I miss him so much."

"I know."

When Josh had lived and breathed, I had never once looked away from him. Not even for a moment. Once he...stopped, a part of me had stopped, too. A very large and vital part of me. I'd been alright with that, I'd had my chance and ruined it, a lifetime of penance didn't seem long enough. But now something inside of me was trying to wake up. I'd come to Washington expecting to face my fears and put them to rest. Instead I'd stuck my hand in a hornet's nest, pain and fear poised to sting me at the first wrong move. Beneath it all was the relentless thrum of something deep and immutable, something that connected to me to Jacob Black in a way I wasn't ready to face. I already had a soulmate, I didn't need another.

"Are you okay?" Kat's hand rubbed my arm, and she pressed a kiss to the top of my head. I realized that the tears had stopped and that I was leaning against her, spent and quiet.

"Do I have to answer that question?"

"No," she said gently. "I'm just not sure how much longer we can expect the three stooges to wait out in the hallway."

I sat up, wincing as my stitches pulled. "Oh god, we have to run the gauntlet to get out of here, don't we?"

"That's one way of putting it," she replied wryly. Then her eyes became serious. "He wants to see you, Beth. Whatever you want, you know I'll back you all the way." She hesitated, smoothing her hand down my braid. "But my instincts say you're too raw right now."

"My instincts say you're right... but that it doesn't matter, he's not going to accept that answer." I closed my eyes.

"Depends on how much you want to hurt him," she murmured, and I shivered. "Okay, well, what I'm thinking is that we take my car for now and go back to the motel the research team is using. I think you need to rest for another day or so before you try to drive a car for seven hours."

She meant drive to Corvallis, of course. The one place I most hated to be in the summer. Okay, I didn't have to face that for another few days at least. One thing at a time.

"Yeah, that sounds like a good plan." I tried to remember if there was anything in my car that I needed. "My purse is in the Accord. Does someone have my cellphone?" She didn't answer me for a long moment, and when I turned to look at her, she was blushing. "Kat..."

"Um, yeah. I can get it back for you." She was playing it way too nonchalant. I knew her better than that.

"Uh-huh." I arched an eyebrow. "So... where did it run off to?"

"Hmmm..." Getting to her feet, she took great care in smoothing her skirt. "I think Embry has it right now." She glanced back at me over her shoulder, the soul of innocence, as I followed her. "You have night-time minutes on your plan, right?"

"Yeah, nights and weekends."

"Oh good."

Okay, there was no way she was getting off scot-free, not when she was dropping those sorts of hints. I would have grilled her on the spot, but the forbearance of the boys waiting in the hall had run out. The door swung open and Jake filled the doorway, massive and imposing. I rocked back on my heels, nearly staggering as I rushed to avoid his gaze. A tremor went through me, and I realized that I was fighting the desire to be close to him. Jaw clenched, I fought harder, silently blessing Kat as she stepped firmly in front of me.

"Not right now, Jacob Black."

His dark eyes dropped to her face, and for just a moment... his expression wasn't quite human. Something predatory slid behind his gaze and looked out at her, contemplating how to dispatch the obstacle she presented. Fear seized my heart, and I moved to intervene. "No Jake," I whispered. "Please." I felt his eyes on me, and a compulsion to look up at him so strong that it made my neck ache to resist. I gasped but kept my eyes down, and the tension became unbearable.

"Are you alright?" his voice was tightly controlled, but just breaking the silence dissolved the tension enough that I could breathe again.

"I'm okay." My voice was shaking, I wanted to run, hide, be anywhere but here. But yeah, I was peachy.

What he did then shocked me. Reaching out, his hands took mine, nearly swallowing them in their too-warm grasp. "I'm sorry, Beth." I could sense he was making an effort to keep his voice soft and gentle. "I know you don't understand all of this. I don't completely, either. I know I've pushed you. I'm going to try my best to let you decide how we do this from here." The sincerity in his voice, the desperate plea in his words pulled at my heart, and before I could catch myself, I met his eyes.

I drowned in their dark, velvet depths, and suddenly I was in the woods again... standing so close to the giant wolf that I could have reached out and brushed his whiskers with my fingertips.

"Beth... Beth, are you okay?" Kat had a hold on my arm, shaking me gently.

I blinked, shook my head to clear it, and looked to find Jake just as staggered as I was. But when our gaze met the second time, he smiled, a look of fierce relief in his eyes. My heart was pounding as I let Kat steer me out of the room, all three boys stepping politely aside for us before falling in at our heels like a guard of honor. I had the ridiculous impulse to salute as our procession made it through the lobby and out the doors.

Kat settled me into the front seat of her burgundy Xterra before collecting my keys and cellphone from Embry and fetching my purse. As we pulled away, bound for the motel, my eyes strayed to the three of them. They were standing like statues at the treeline, and I wondered how they were planning to go wherever it was they were going. I glanced at Kat, thinking to ask her, but when I glanced back to the place they'd be standing... they were gone, almost as though they had never been there at all.


	9. Chapter 9: The First Light of Dawn

PART NINE: First Light of Dawn

_Jacob POV_

The moment we shifted, the news spread through the pack like wildfire. Sam was with the puppies in the woods close to La Push. They'd been concerned about us, I could sense his relief immediately, but with it came a firm reproval. _Next time you're in a situation like that, check in with us._

_Got it._ Embry and Quil joined their acknowledgement to mine.

_Dude, you imprinted!_ Jared's voice was elated, his understanding immediate and complete.

_Aw man, a blonde?_ Paul was deeply disgruntled, situation normal there. The pups responded with varying degrees of confusion and disinterest, of the three of them only Seth was more than marginally intrigued by females. It was only a matter of time, but for today they found the information boring.

Leah, fortunately, was off doing something else in human form. It was a relief not to have her dampen my enthusiasm. There was no question she'd have plenty to say later, but for now I was spared. From the others, approval was swift, the consensus being that Beth was young, attractive and free of taint from the bloodsuckers. That was, they agreed, a definite improvement. The inevitable comparison to Bella set my teeth on edge, but I couldn't dispute that they had the right to make it.

Sam still had reservations. _She's an outsider, brother. This isn't going to be easy.__  
__  
I know. _I suddenly longed to speak with him alone, to ask for his advice, younger brother to elder. However, in the end the pack would still know everything. _I'm going to be as patient and wise with her as I know how. _

He paused, and I could sense him sifting through the memories we carried with us, the story Kat had told us. _This in particular will take time, Jake. I know how the imprinting can rule your thoughts, blind you to reality. Remember that it doesn't affect her the same way. _

_I'll remind him_. Embry sounded unusually determined. He really seemed to like Beth's friend, and it concerned him that upsetting Beth would affect his chances with her. Annoyed, I twitched an ear his way, unwilling to slow down just to glare in wolf form.

Still, once the need for caution was expressed, I _knew_ that Sam was genuinely happy for me. _As for Bella... _Sam sighed. _I regret her choices. But even with her complications, this one will make a better mate for you. _It made me fiercely glad, to know I had his approval.

_Sam, do you want us to report back to the research project?_ Quil slowed as he asked the quesiton. We'd reached a crossroads, where we could either turn toward the motel in Forks or back towards La Push.

_We need to control their access to our territory as long as they're here, so yes_. He hesitated, and I sensed that he was debating whether to call me back. I flattened my ears, Beth would be with them, not in La Push. _Jake, she needs time_, he reminded me firmly.

_We'll keep an eye on him._ Quil again, but I sensed that Embry was leaning toward agreement with Sam. Traitor.

_You don't have anything to worry about_, I growled. _I meant what I said to her. She chooses how we do this from here._

_I know you want to believe that_, Embry replied, more aggressive than was usually his nature. _But you're afraid if you leave her alone for too long that Kat will drag her back to Oregon and you'll never see her again. _

_No. If that happened, I'd still find her_. It was true, and we all knew it... but that didn't make Embry wrong.

_Whatever, man. If he can't behave himself, we kick him back to La Push._ Quil made his impatience with our argument known.

_Technically_, _I outrank you._ I reminded him.

_I outrank __**all**_ _of you._ Without so much as raising his mental 'voice', Sam restored order. _All three of you can go, for now. However, I __**will**_ _pull you back if I feel it's necessary, Jake. Elizabeth is a sister to the pack now, and she has our protection just the same as Emily, Kim or Claire. _He paused, and I felt the collective attention of the entire pack turn my way. _Even if it's one of our own that we must protect her from.__  
__  
_His words were oddly disquieting, but one by one my pack brothers echoed his resolve.

_Watching you go through hell over Bella Swan was painful, Jake._ Jared was trying to reassure me, but at the same time he wanted me to understand. _This is a complete 180, man. I know how crazy all of it is, but you've got to do this right. Otherwise you're going to have a long life to regret it._

_All of you really seem to be convinced that I'm going to fuck this up._ I was angry, frustrated. I felt like I was waking up from a nightmare of heartbreak to a beautiful dawn; only to be told over and over again that the warm sunlight on my face wasn't mine to enjoy.

_That's not it, you're missing the point._ Embry seemed as frustrated as I was. He shouldered me forward and I let him, bounding into a run again in the direction of Forks. _We're afraid for you, dumbass. We want this to turn out well just as badly as you do.__  
__  
I know, I know. _I sighed, concentrating on the trail ahead, trying just be the wolf for a few moments._  
__  
You have a good heart, Jake. A strong heart. _Sam let me feel the confidence he had in me, his pride that we were brothers. _Don't let fear rule you. Let strength and love be your guides. If you can do that, then you'll do the right thing. I have faith in you.__  
__  
So do I.__  
__  
Me too.__  
__  
Always, brother.__  
__  
What do you think, man?__  
__  
_Their voices carried me, brought stillness to the chaos of my thoughts. I _would_ claim the dawn for my own, but only after wooing her into my embrace. _  
_


	10. Chapter 10: Stop the Bleeding

PART TEN: Stop the Bleeding

_Elizabeth POV_

I fell into bed as soon as Kat checked us in. With food and painkillers in me, tucked into warm blankets, I was not long for the world.

Again the forest surrounded me. Locked in its embrace, I walked an unfamiliar path. Ahead was darkness, the light fading with every step. But I was not afraid. How could I be?

All around me were the wolves. The size of horses, they kept pace with me as I moved toward the shadows. As we walked, a grey giant came close enough to touch and my fingers itched with the desire to make contact. I gave in, brushing my fingertips against the black-stippled guard hairs on his back. He made a sound I could feel more than hear, nuanced with pleasure, amusement, fondness. But then he moved gently away, as though responding to a silent call. Lifting my head, I searched for the wolf I knew best, but my red-coated wolf was not among them. He would stand out immediately with his massive size and cinnamon pelt, but instead the pack was made drab by his absence.

A glossy black wolf caught my eye. Larger than his red brother, he moved with a fearsome grace, striding along the forest floor like a king in his palace. Our eyes met, and I had the oddest feeling that he had been waiting for me. Once acknowledged, he moved closer, dipping his head like a gentleman asking a lady to dance. I bowed my head in return almost without thinking. We walked side by side for a time, the others dropping back to a respectful distance. I never questioned my safety. I knew with absolute certainty that the majestic ebon wolf meant me no harm.

"Where is he?" Of all the things I might have said, I realized that was the question I most needed an answer to.

The black wolf made a soft sound and stopped, his attention fixed on the way ahead. I strained to see what had his attention and my feet carried me forward even without the mind's consent. The darkness resolved itself into the shape of a wolf. With a certainty I didn't question, I knew it was _my_ wolf. He lay on his side, soaked with blood. Death was near, a fatal wound to his heart spilling out his life's blood.

I don't remember moving, but somewhere between one heartbeat and the next I was beside him. My knees hit the ground, blood soaking through my jeans... _blood on the pavement, thick and red_... Without hesitating, I gathered him to me, a dead weight that only adrenaline gave me strength to move... _so still, so terribly, terribly still_... Desperately, I wrapped what little warmth I had around him, cradling his head against my body... _feeling for a pulse that no longer beat, the heartbeat that I had once considered a universal constant_...

"Please hold on..." I drew a panicky breath, my arms tightening around him. "I'm here now. I'm so sorry, I didn't know. Please don't leave."

"Stay with me..."

I woke up like I was drowning, clawing my way to the surface as I gasped for breath. It took a long moment for my pulse to slow and the shaking to still, until finally I could accept that the nightmare was over. The room was dark, nighttime, I'd slept for hours. My shoulder confirmed that with an angry throbbing, the painkillers long since worn off. Sitting up, my eyes moved to the other bed. Kat was peacefully asleep, I wouldn't disturb her if I could help it.

The bottle of painkillers was on the dresser, it went into the pocket of my sweats. My purse was beside it and I awkwardly fished out my wallet left-handed. Money acquired, I grabbed a key card and headed for the door. Outside it was cold enough to make my bones ache, but I welcomed it. The cold would keep me awake, free of the dream that still nipped at my heels. I hugged myself and hurried down the sidewalk, ducking into the shallow niche that sheltered the vending machines.

I fed the machine and hit the button for Pepsi. It didn't blink, burble, or so much as shiver, it simply did nothing. I frowned and tapped the button again. Nothing. "Dammit." Frowning deeply, I smacked the front of stubborn machine. I didn't want water, I wanted a soda to take my stupid pills with. Was that too much to ask? I clenched my fist, ready to take out my frustrations on the convenient inanimate object, when a hand grabbed my shoulder.

I didn't take the time to think about it, three years of Tae-kwon-do sparring kicked in and I spun, ducking under the arm that held me. There was nowhere to go but against the vending machine, so I put my back to it, dropping into a fighting stance. Fists up, I swore softly as the pain in my shoulder flared exponentially. Even then I didn't drop my stance, although the effort it took to keep my arm steady made my eyes water.

"Whoa." Dark eyes blinked down at me from Jacob Black's face. He was completely astonished, it would have been funny if he hadn't scared the crap out of me.

"What the hell are you doing, sneaking up on people in the middle of the night!" I relaxed, wincing as I cradled my right arm against me. Pain made me extremely grumpy, particularly combined with the failure to obtain my Pepsi.

Jake's expression was oddly uncertain, as though he wasn't sure how to respond. "You seemed to be having some trouble..." He shrugged, which was how I noticed he was shirtless. "Thought I'd see if I could help." Ducking his head, he studied my face in the dim light from the vending machines. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," I said quickly, too quickly to hide another wince as I unwisely shrugged.

"No you're not," his voice went flat, which only irritated me even more. "Why are _you_ running around, barefoot," he eyed my feet, "in the middle of the night?"

"Why is that any of your business?" I snapped. He flinched back, which caught me off-guard. I hadn't figured to land a hit with something so random.

"It's not, I guess." His voice was quiet, gloomy, and suddenly he refused to meet my eyes. Dammit, now I felt bad for snapping.

I sighed. "I woke up, the painkillers had worn off, and since those things tend to make me queasy, I wanted a soda to take them with." Slumping back against the machine, I ran my good hand through my hair. "But this stupid thing doesn't want to cooperate."

"Hm..." Looking thoughtful, Jake eyed the machine.

"I just wanted a Pepsi," I grumbled, sounding a bit pouty about it. Well, could you blame me? It had been a rough 48 hours.

Without warning, his arm slipped around my waist, tugging me to him.

"Hold on, I don't know what-"

"Just hush for a minute," he said firmly, and though he held me against his side, his arm was loose enough that I could easily pull free. I thought that was what I wanted, but my chilled body was enthusiastic about being so close to his warm body. The sensation was a bit like standing near a banked fireplace, the heat radiating gently against your skin. Distracted, I barely noticed as he tapped experimentally on the drink machine.

"What are you doing?" I frowned as he did it again, utterly mystified.

"Getting your Pepsi." He grinned. "There we go." Having identified the appropriate spot, he hit the vending machine with the heel of his hand, the controlled power in that movement making my eyes go wide. It rattled through the stubborn vending machine like a seismic wave, until it hit the right spot... and two cans of Pepsi slid down into the bin. He plucked them up one-handed. "Bonus! One for you, one for me." He handed me a can and kept the other for himself.

"Thanks..." I looked down at the soda I held, and my cheeks colored for no reason I could name. "That was kind of awesome."

He laughed, and it was a joyful sound to hear, sweet and low. "Thanks." Even in the half-light, I could tell that his eyes were dancing.

We ended up perched together on the stairs that led to the second floor, a stolen blanket draped around our shoulders. I thought I'd be cold even with the blanket, but being near Jake was like having a personal sun. "Are you sure you don't have a fever?"

"Positive." He grinned. Then he looked down at me, thoughtful, maybe a little tentative. "There are things you need to know. Things I want to tell you." He hesitated, then shook his head slightly. "But I'd rather not start into that tonight."

"That's fine." I can't say why I left it at that, other than the fact that I believed he wanted to tell me, that he _would_ tell me. How that fit in with going back to Corvallis I had no clue. Thoughts for another night. "I can be patient."

"That's good to know." He looked at me for a long moment, and I could practically hear the gears turning in his head. I shifted a bit, self-conscious under the scrutiny. Whatever he was working himself up to ask, I was pretty sure I didn't want to answer. "I've been meaning to ask, who's Casper?"

I blinked, that was probably the very last question I'd been expecting. "Um. Well, Casper is my cat." I took a sip of my Pepsi. "He's white, long-haired. I found him at Halloween, about three years ago." Right in the middle of that awful semester. "He was just a baby, someone had dumped him out. He needed somebody." I smiled. "So did I."

"A cat?" The look on his face was hilarious.

"You're not a cat person?"

"Not really, no." He shrugged. "I guess I've never spent much time around them. Still, it could be... a complicated relationship." Glancing at me, he frowned. "I know you're in college, but how old are you, Beth?"

Fair question, I supposed. "Twenty-three. I'm a January baby." I toyed with a strand of my hair, wrapping it around my finger. "And I'm in graduate school, actually. I have a degree in biology."

"Wow." He seemed genuinely impressed. "What are you doing in grad school?""

I shrugged, remembering just in time not to use my right shoulder. "Just more bio." I took a deep breath, letting it out as a sigh. "Originally I was all set on going to vet school. But...I kind of messed that up."

"What do you mean, 'messed it up?'" Jake ducked his head again, trying to look into my face.

"Junior year was rough, especially fall semester."

"After Josh died." It wasn't a question, but more as if I'd just confirmed something he suspected. But that wasn't what made me freeze up, my body going still at the sound of Josh's name.

"How did you..." Suddenly something that Kat had said in the car made sense, a softly murmured apology that my tired brain hadn't fully comprehended. She'd told them. "Wow."

"Kat told me," he confirmed quietly. "Don't get mad at Kat. I didn't give her much of a choice."

"You don't know Kat very well." I was reeling, unsure of how I should react. "She knows better." She did. But she also didn't hesitate to meddle where she felt it necessary. "I don't like talking about it," I said finally. "In fact I'd really rather you forgot about it completely."

"Why?" Jake seemed genuinely startled at the thought. "It's a part of you. An important part. Shoving it into a closet and trying to forget about it?" He shook his head. "Not smart. Then you've got it jumping out to grab you when you're not expecting it."

It was my turn to be startled. "Are you speaking from experience?"

"Maybe." His eyes went flat and unreadable. I stared at him, trying to break through the wall with little success. Fine then, we'd both have our secrets.

Except... I found myself talking anyway, trying to explain. It was like I needed him to understand. "It's just hard. You know, thinking about it?" Shivering, I huddled into the blanket a bit more, I'd noticed a while ago that he'd given up on pretending he needed his half. "It's like, my life is cleanly divided by that date." I sighed, trying to put into words things that defied them. "I'm not sure that I'm even the same person I was, then."

He shook his head. "You're not. It's impossible to be the same." He paused, and when he spoke again, he was looking down at me with this amazingly soft, sweet look in his eyes. It took my breath away. "If you lose someone, and you stay the same, then you haven't got a chance of surviving. It's the change that saves your life. Or maybe the change is what lets someone else save you." He chuckled, then reached out to lightly touch my hair, stroking it away from my face. "I'm not sure about that part yet."

A smile tugged at my lips. "Let me know when you figure that out."

"You'll be the first one to know." He hesitated, then carefully put his arm around me, tugging me closer to the warmth of his body. Oddly it didn't bother me like it might have. "You're cold, and dawn's not far off. You should probably get back in bed."

"I'm okay." Actually, I was very comfortable. He made a good pillow.

"Kat's going to think I'm trying to seduce you." There was definitely mischief in his voice.

"I think Kat might be right about that," I said sleepily, not bothering to open my eyes.

"Maybe." Okay, now the mischief was all but spilling over. "Would that be so bad?"

I smiled. "I'm not sure about that part yet."

He chuckled, but played his part. "Let me know when you figure it out."

"You'll be the first one to know..."


	11. Chapter 11: Stolen Moments

PART ELEVEN: Stolen Moments

_Jacob POV_

"Are you humming?" Quil eyed me suspiciously in the mirror. I continued brushing my teeth, humming faintly. When he realized he wasn't getting an answer, he glowered and stuck his toothbrush back in his mouth.

Nothing wrong with humming. Not when you had something to hum about. Trying not to grin, I leaned down to spit and wiped my mouth on a towel. "You're too uptight, Quil." I clapped my hands on his shoulders, giving him a little shake. "Loosen up a little." His only response was a snort and a skeptical look, so I gave it up as a lost cause.

Leaving him to finish, I grabbed a clean t-shirt off the bed and pulled it on, eyeing myself critically in the mirror. Shirt was a bit tight, but in the good way, showing some muscle. Hair was a little _too_ tousled. I ran my fingers through it, smoothing the heavy black strands. Not bad. Beth and Kat shouldn't have anything to complain about, as an escort I was stylin'.

Yesterday had been productive. I spent the morning sniffing out a thick patch of wild irises. With an armload of the purple flowers in tow, I'd begged an empty coffee can from the old lady at the front desk. That made for a pretty impressive floral arrangement, and what it lacked in finesse, it more than made up for in volume. Hell, I was impressed and I didn't even like flowers.

Kat made Beth rest most of the day after her sleepless night, while Quil and Embry went to lead a foray in the woods. The research team was hilarious, with all the noise they made it would be a miracle if they found a chipmunk, much less a wolf. That left me to hang around the girls, unobtrusively of course, although I'd caught a break when Kat went out to get them lunch.

I met Kat going and, sort of, got permission. Okay well, she sighed, rolled her eyes and left the door cracked for me with a warning that she'd only be gone for a few minutes. That made it easier to be cool, moving silently across the room to set the flowers on the nightstand. Perching on the edge of the bed, I looked down at the girl that slept there, her hand tucked under the pillow. She was so beautiful like that it was hard to wake her; honey-gold lashes against her pale cheeks, hair a riot of tumbled waves around her face. After a moment, I remembered to breathe again and reached out to touch her face. Her eyes opened, and the way they focused on me and softened with recognition... man, it was worth it.

A smile tugged at my lips and it was hard not to kiss her then. I was so tempted to just throw caution out the window. "I brought something for you." Leaning back a little, I let her see the explosion of purple at my elbow.

She bit her lip, and for just a moment I was afraid I'd overstepped. "Irises..." Carefully, she sat up, reaching out to touch them, a slow and wondering smile lighting her eyes. "They're beautiful." She knew what they were _and_ she liked them. To say I was positively gleeful didn't begin to cover it.

"You think so?" Never hurt to be sure.

"I do."

"Good." I grinned, but I could have danced. "How you feeling?"

She frowned thoughtfully. "Better, I think."

"I'm sorry I kept you up last night." There were dark circles under her eyes still.

Laughing softly, she arranged herself cross-legged on the bed. "It was as much my fault as anyone's." She ran a hand through her hair, giving it a little shake. "I think I needed the company."

"Kat doesn't seem to think so." I made a face. That one could be a pain in the ass when she wanted to be. Which was hypocritical since I knew just by the smell of her that she'd been cuddling with Embry.

Beth laughed again. "She's just being protective. We watch out for each other."

"Well, she's going to be back in a minute, so I'd better make this quick." I could all but guarantee she was going to kick my fuzzy butt out when she returned. "If you feel like it, I was wondering if you'd let me show you around Forks tomorrow?" I shrugged, trying to make it seem like no big deal. "There's no much to see, but I thought maybe you'd like to stretch your legs, get some fresh air?"

The hesitation told me that she wasn't sure it was a good idea. "I don't know..."

"Kat's welcome to come too," I reassured her, willing her to say yes.

The hesitation lingered, and then finally faded. "I guess that would be okay." She smiled again. "I've been here for days and I haven't really taken the time to look around."

"It's a plan, then."

There really _wasn't_ much to see, just a few shops on the main drag, but it was an excuse to spend time with her. So we'd left it at that, since Kat came bustling in just a minute or so after. I was as angelic as a 6'7" werewolf could be, making my exit before she had a chance to evict me.

Which brought us to this morning, and the cheerful anticipation of having two lovely ladies to show around. There was no denying Kat was pretty, or that she looked out for Beth. I just wished she would stop treating me like the big bad wolf. Maybe I could make a better impression on her today.

The weather was typical, overcast but balmy. I played my role to the hilt, appearing at Beth's door moments after Kat pulled the Xterra into a parking space. Opening it, I offered her my hand, helping her step down to the pavement. "M'lady," I tried on the most pretentious expression I could think of, and was rewarded when she laughed.

"Thank you, sir."

She was in no hurry to pull her hand from mine, so I took a chance. My eyes holding her gaze, I raised her hand to my lips and kissed it. Startled, she just stared at me, a slow flush coloring her cheeks.

"Okay, you two, that's enough." Kat stood on the sidewalk, hands on her hips. She gave me an evil look before glancing down the sidewalk. "C'mon Betts, there's a likely looking antique shop down that way."

Beth took a deep breath and dropped her eyes, moving past me to join Kat. Not for the first time, I wished I had the bloodsucker's talent for reading minds. I wanted to know what she was thinking. Kicking at a flattened beer can in the gutter, I followed them down the sidewalk. They'd reached the door to the antique shop with me drifting a few steps behind. I was just passing the jeweler one shop down when a familiar scent wrinkled my nose.

Aw, hell.

I raised my head and suppressed a growl when I found him already watching me through the plate glass window. Edward Cullen, the leech who had convinced Bella to marry him, dropped out of the sky as though my thoughts had summoned him. From what my nose told me, he was alone. That realization let go some small tension inside of me. I wasn't ready to see Bella, especially not with him.

For a moment, I was tempted to just let it be. Mind my own business and let him mind his, today was a good day, no sense in ruining it.

"Jake? What's wrong?" The sound of Beth's voice changed everything.

"Go inside, Beth." Cullen lifted an eyebrow. I tried not to let my thoughts give me away, but it was impossible. My instincts were telling me the same thing over and over again. This was an enemy, and my mate was in danger.

"Come with me." There was a note in Beth's voice that said she knew something was wrong.

"In just a minute. Go ahead, I'll be right behind you." I knew even as I said it that she was too smart to buy it and too stubborn to retreat. I loved her for it, even as it made life more difficult.

"No. I'll wait for you." She appeared at my side, blue eyes fierce, and put her hand in mine. I swallowed hard and twined our fingers together, trying not to dwell on how right it felt.

Cullen spoke briefly with the man behind the counter, then came out to meet us. He stopped a few feet away, under the jewelry shop's awning. "Jacob." He inclined his head just slightly.

"Edward." Bella would have been proud of me for using his name.

"Who's your lovely friend?" A slight smile played at the corners of his mouth, we both knew he was only asking for show. Anything he wanted to know, he'd already plucked from our thoughts.

"This is Elizabeth." I took a step forward, tugging her hand so that she was slightly behind me. I made no attempt to introduce them, as far as I was concerned, she was better off not knowing him.

"It's nice to meet you, Elizabeth. My name is Edward Cullen," he was very polite, observing the niceties. But Beth didn't answer him, I could sense her tension through our joined hands. Cullen noticed it, too, his eyes leaving me briefly to focus on her. She knew something was wrong, and she knew something was different about Edward Cullen, I was positive she didn't know just how different he was, but her brain had a hold of the information and wouldn't let it go. Good. "It's actually not a bad thing that I met you here," Edward continued. "We have some information we were going to share. This just makes it easier."

"Information?" My eyes narrowed. "I'm waiting." He raised his eyebrows just slightly, questioning Beth's presence. I answered him silently, just as I would have with the pack, forming the thoughts and letting him read them. _I belong to her in the same way that Sam belongs to Emily. In time, she'll know everything I have to share. _Those elegant eyebrows perked upward a bit more, but he nodded as though I'd simply confirmed something for him. Did it please him, I wondered, to know that with Beth's appearance my pursuit of Bella was ended? He tilted his head just a fraction, and the sentiment was clear. 'Wouldn't it please you in my place?' Okay, point.

Turning my head, I looked down at Beth, she was watching Cullen warily, but her attention returned to me as soon as I caught her eye. "Edward has some information I need," I said quietly, "Some of it may not make sense right now, but I promise you that I will explain. Do you trust me?"

She searched my face for several heartbeats, then squeezed my hand, nodding. "I trust you."

"Go ahead."

"We have some evidence that the Volturi are active in this area again." Every muscle in my body tensed. I didn't know much about the Volturi, but everything I did know was bad news. "They haven't approached us directly, so it's hard to know what they want." Cullen's calm facade slipped just a hair, enough for me to know that he was worried. Of course he was, the Volturi wanted Bella ether dead or a vampire. "No, we don't think that's it. Not yet."

"What does the fortune teller think?"

Cullen frowned. "That's just it. Alice isn't seeing clearly. Which of course makes me wonder if the pack is involved." He sighed, casting a troubled look toward Beth. "It could be as simple as a rogue, but if we keep a lookout on both fronts..."

"I'll pass the information along. We'll be in touch." I put my arm around Beth and started herding her toward the shop Kat had disappeared into. My first impulse was to take her someplace far from here, somewhere safe.

"She's safer with you than without you, Jacob," Cullen said, his voice carrying to my ears. "I learned that the hard way."

_I'm not you. _Beth wasn't Bella. And no matter what, I wasn't going to leave her. I glanced back over my shoulder, but Cullen was already gone.

"Jake." Beth stepped in front of me, resting her hands on my chest. "You said you'd explain. All of it." Her blue eyes held mine, and I was powerless to look away. "I'm ready to hear it."

My heart started racing, and I realized then that I wasn't sure I was ready to tell her. What if it drove her away? I took a deep breath, mastering the fear. Didn't matter. I'd meant what I said. I wasn't Edward Cullen, I wasn't going to hold back information from the woman I loved in some misguided attempt to protect her. She had to make her own choices, even if they were choices I didn't like.

"When we get back," I said quietly. "We'll find someplace quiet... and then I'll tell you everything you want to know. Everything."


	12. Chapter 12: Waking the Dreamer

PART TWELVE: Waking the Dreamer

Elizabeth POV

We never let go, even when our hands were no longer touching I could still feel him. To say we'd forged a bond would be misleading, the bond had been there since that first moment in the woods. Perhaps it was better to say a critical step had been taken toward accepting what it meant. We weren't there yet, but I could feel it like a distant rainstorm, faint but inevitable. When we found Kat in the antique shop, I heard very little of what she had to say. I was aware of how she was looking at me, but I was too deeply entwined in the moment to reassure her.

The drive back to the motel was filled with an uncomfortable silence. I sat in the front seat as I had before, but I could feel his eyes on me the entire way. When we pulled up, Kat grabbed my arm before I could open the door, her green eyes worried.

"Tell me what happened, Beth." The words were urgent, she could feel me slipping away. "Whatever it is, I'll help you."

I took a deep breath, steeling myself for what I had to say. "I love you, Kat." I put my hand over hers. "But you can't help me with this." Gently, I disengaged from her, pulling the latch on the door. "This is between me and him." I was out of the car before she could say anything else. The one thing I was absolutely certain of was that I had to face this on my own.

He was waiting for me, standing where the far edge of the parking lot bordered the ever-present woods. I ran, not because I was afraid that Kat would stop me, but because I was afraid I might stop myself. I was in too deep, this had to keep going or I'd never know how the story was supposed to end.

When I reached him, he held his hand out to me. "Ready?"

I looked up into his eyes, the same dark and fathomless eyes from my dreams, and then put my hand in his. "Yes."

He smiled, the sort of smile that made my heart skip a beat. One moment I stood beside him, the next we were racing through the trees. Jake held me in his arms, cradled against his chest as though I weighed nothing. He moved through the forest like a ghost, or a wild thing, swift and silent. I tightened my arms around his neck and felt more than heard him chuckle, his arms holding me a little closer. "Don't be afraid," he murmured in my ear.

Fear was part of what I felt, but with it was exhilaration, the sense that I was embarking on something strange, exciting and unlike anything I had ever known. We were traveling deep into the heart of the forest, away from civilization and into places where human footprints seldom left their mark. The landscape was a familiar one to me, I'd walked here in my dreams on more than one night, treading the hallowed halls of the primeval wood. He seemed to know it better than I did, taking a path only known to him, until suddenly we could see the cloud-silvered sky through the tops of the forest giants.

When he stopped, we stood in a sheltered vale, the centerpiece a mist-shrouded waterfall. He set me on my feet at the water's edge, and I stood completely still for a long moment, absorbing the quiet beauty of our surroundings. "This is amazing," I whispered, looking up at him. "How did you find this place?"

He smiled shyly. "I've had a lot of time to explore on my own. One of those times I came here."

I turned to face him and took a deep breath. "The way we came here... that's part of what you have to explain, isn't it?"

"You could say that." He bit his lip, looking at me anxiously. "I'm sort of waiting for you to freak out about it."

"No, no freaking." I tilted my head. "Curious, certainly."

"It's part of what we are," he said quietly. "Enhanced speed and strength, the ability to heal pretty much any wound." He gestured towards himself, a bitter smile playing across his lips. "The size, obviously. My sense of smell... well, there's no comparison. I can also see perfectly in the dark."

I'd like to say that I was shocked, that all of his revelations caught me off-guard. And yet I stood calmly, nodding as he ticked off this impossible list, completely unfazed by it. "What we are... What are you exactly?" That was the question. "And, when you say 'we', who do you mean?"

"You're taking this really calmly." That fact seemed to worry him.

"I'm a scientist, I'm not going to waste time declaring something impossible when I could be gathering information on why it's possible." What I didn't say was that far from relying on empirical evidence, I was taking this on faith. Every fiber of my being told me he was telling the truth.

"You aren't going to want to dissect me, are you?" I think he was teasing, but he still seemed worried.

"Not if you answer my questions." I tried to make my smile as reassuring as possible.

For just a moment, he eyed me warily, still not convinced. Finally he nodded. "I don't know that I can tell you as easily as I can show you." He hesitated, then pulled off his shirt, taking a step back as he dropped it to the ground at his feet. Next he reached for the button of his jeans.

My eyebrows shot up, okay now I was confused and a little...um... startled. "It involves getting naked?"

He grinned, and the grin was slightly wicked. "Well, if I want clothes to put back on later it does."

"I see." I didn't. "Um, should I turn around or something?"

"You can if you want to. But then you might miss something." The wicked grin got worse. "Besides, I'd think a scientist would want all the evidence."

Oh, now _that_ was just not fair. "Fine. Let's see it." I crossed my arms, hoping he wouldn't notice I was blushing. "Strip down." He noticed. He enjoyed it. And I really wanted to kick him for it. Still, he seemed to realize he was trying my patience and only drew it out a little more than was necessary. I did turn my head to the side so I wasn't looking right at him when the pants were completely off. I'd seen a naked man before. I'd been engaged. But that didn't make the first time with someone new any less awkward.

That... and he was beautiful. Really beautiful in a way that made my heart race and my body respond in a way it hadn't since before Josh died. It felt a little like betrayal, and at the same time, it felt absolutely right.

"No matter what happens, remember one thing for me," he said, his voice quiet. "I will never hurt you, Beth. Never."

I didn't get a chance to question those words. He dropped into a crouch, one hand resting lightly on the ground. Then, for lack of a better word, I felt a power surge go through me. The hair on the back of my neck stood up, a bolt of electricity racing from my toes to the top of my head. At the same moment, Jake's form blurred, energy expanding outward with explosive force. I flinched back, expecting a concussion, but there was none.

A moment passed, and I gathered myself, lifting my head. Where Jacob Black had crouched on the shore of the forest pool stood my wolf. _My_ wolf. The wolf from my dreams, the apparition from the day the bear had attacked. I knew their eyes were the same, I knew that. But I think on some level I had assumed that the dreams were a form of metaphor, the wolf merely a representation that over time had become connected to Jake. Not until this moment had I made the connection that the wolf _was_ Jake.

My knees gave out and I folded into a heap on the cool, damp ground. Shock vibrated through me, the revelation finally tipping my internal scale to overload. Distantly I heard the wolf whimper, a soft and mournful sound. It tore at me, and I forced my head up, watching him take a step back to withdraw. "_No._" The word was a sob, tearing its way painfully from my throat. I tried to pull myself together, clawing at the ground in an attempt to get my feet under me. "Please don't go." Tears were running down my cheeks, my body trembling so hard I had no chance of standing, but I tried. "Jake... _please_."

A scent enveloped me, of forests and warm sunlight, with an underlying note of spice; without hesitation I threw my arms around the wolf's neck, burying my face in his soft fur. "I didn't know." I was sobbing again, completely overwhelmed. "You've been in my dreams all this time... and I didn't know." He made a soft sound, a comforting rumble, and curled himself around me, embracing me in the curve of his body.

I have no idea how long we stayed together like that. I lay against him, my head resting on his massive shoulder, listening to the deep, steady rhythm of his heart beneath my cheek. His head lay across my lap, perfectly relaxed, his eyes closed as though he were content to never move again. My hands drifted over him, fingers sliding through the thick, soft plush of his cinnamon fur, never quite getting enough of touching him. Every so often, a little shiver went through me, as for a moment I imagined my hands tracing a similar path across dusky skin instead of soft wolf pelt.

"I have no idea what time it is," I whispered at last. One dark eye rolled open, focusing on me. "You never did answer all of my questions," I reminded him. He made a sound suspiciously like a laugh. "You probably ought to do that," I continued, relentless, "before Kat sends the national guard after us." More laughter, but he sighed, apparently agreeing with me. I carefully untangled myself from him and stood, still a little in awe that I had so recently been cuddling with such a huge and beautiful beast.

Once I was clear, a shiver went through him, and again I felt that shock of energy. Then the wolf receded and only the human remained. The very attractive, very _naked_ human. I coughed, realizing that I was turning bright red _again_.

"It's really adorable when you do that." He sounded far too amused.

"It's really rude of you to point it out." I was practicing the fine art of not looking. I can honestly say I've never been so relieved to hear the sound of a zipper in my life.

"It's still adorable." I looked up to find him very close, wearing jeans but nothing else. "You know... I really thought I'd lost you there for a minute." He was looking down, not meeting my eyes. "The way you reacted... it was my worst fear."

"I am so sorry." I bit my lip, then did the only thing I knew to do, I reached for him. My hands rested lightly on his arms and I stepped closer, moving so that I could look up into his face. "It wasn't fear. I was just... overwhelmed." Stretching up, I touched his cheek. "Do you believe me?"

"I want to." His eyes found mine. "I want to give you everything." Slowly, as though to give me the chance to pull away, his arms slid around my waist. "Everything that I have... everything that I am."

"That's a lot for a girl to take in." I smiled. "But I will try my best to live up to that."

"Beth..." His arms tightened and then he hesitated.

"Just kiss me, Jake." He blinked, and then that soft, warm smile curved his mouth again. Unfortunately I didn't get to enjoy it for long, because his lips had crossed the distance between us, resting lightly against mine. Standing on tiptoe, I wrapped my arms around his neck and did my best to encourage him to linger. We kissed, softly at first and so sweet that it made me shiver.

Then he kissed me breathless... and I did my best to steal his breath away in return.


	13. Chapter 13: Trouble in Paradise

PART THIRTEEN: Trouble in Paradise

_Jacob POV_

If you ever have the opportunity to kiss your soulmate, I highly recommend it. I will never forget the kisses I shared with Bella. The awkwardness of the first time, the desperate triumph of the second, they're extremely important memories for me... But I have never felt the way I did in that moment. Girls have their whole lives to prepare for this kind of feeling. Guys are more concerned with the physical stuff. The whole emotional thing is weird and scary. When it happens to you, all you can do is ride it out, see how far it will take you; like being flattened by a huge wave, you only have a split-second to decide whether you're drowning or having the time of your life.

I pulled back and cradled her face in my hands. She had her eyes closed, a smile beginning to curl up the corners of her mouth. Beautiful didn't seem like the right word for her, it was too small to contain the uncanny creature who had changed my world. "I have something I want to tell you," I said quietly. She opened her eyes, looking up into my face. "But I don't want you to freak out."

"Uhoh, a stunning revelation?" her eyes widened in mock-horror. "What could it be?"

"I'm serious." I tapped her lightly on the nose and she wrinkled it at me, giving her head a slight shake.

"I'm listening." There was still a threat of laughter in her voice, but she composed her face, waiting.

Hesitant, I rubbed my hands along her arms. These weren't easy words to say, not when they were so vitally important. "I'm falling in love with you." That wasn't entirely the truth, the falling part was over and done with, but I figured it was best to start slow. "I have been since the moment we met."

"Wow." Her smile hadn't faded, but I knew from her voice and the expression on her face that she was taking those words very seriously. "That's a a little scary when you hear it out loud."

"Yeah..." I laughed, but it was as much to hide my discomfort as anything. "It was pretty terrifying to say it."

"Jake... I'm not sure I'm there, yet." I closed my eyes at those words, gritting my teeth. "No, don't do that." She touched my face, waiting until I looked at her again. "How can I explain? I wish I could show you what I'm feeling in here." She placed her hand over her heart. "Our feelings are all tangled up together, and I think even if I tried to run away that sooner or later I'd find my way back." Looking down, she took both of my hands in hers. "If I'm honest with myself, there's a part of me that knows I'm in the same place you are. That I'm falling." Then she lifted her head, and her blue eyes gazed directly up into mine, begging for understanding, for patience. "But I've been in love with Josh for a long time. He was my world." She swallowed hard. "I have to find a place in myself where I can balance those two things. Can you be patient with me? Just for a little while?"

I smiled a crooked smile, and tried not to feel disappointment over her answer, tried not to let my impatience win. "One of the other things that comes with being a wolf is a long lifespan." I wrapped my arms around her waist. "I suppose I can afford to be patient."

Those blue eyes narrowed, and the way she looked at me, it was like she knew what I was thinking. Or maybe I was just that transparent. "We still have a lot of questions that need answering about one another. We need to learn how to be together." She ran her fingertips over my bare skin, apparently unaware of just how tantalizing that was. I winced slightly, trying to keep the hormones under wrap. "I'm not saying we can't see each other. That's kind of what I have in mind, actually. More like dating, less like forever."

I frowned, it was hard not to. "Even if that's what it's supposed to be?"

She hesitated, and for just a moment I though I saw something akin to panic in her eyes. "Well... yes. I just think we need time."

"Okay..." Pulling away from her, I went to retrieve my shirt. "_You_ need time. I hear you loud and clear."

"Jake..." There was hurt in her voice, but I didn't turn around to confirm it in her eyes. "There are so many things I don't know about you. And you _barely_ know anything about me." She waited, but I didn't feel like answering her. Instead I busied myself with putting my shirt back on. "Okay... well, you haven't even answered all of my questions about today."

Turning back to her, I crossed my arms across my chest. I supposed I wasn't being fair, but it all... just hit me the wrong way. "What do you want to know?"

Instead of being intimidated, she was annoyed. "For starters, you said 'we', explain."

"I'm part of a pack of werewolves. Tribe members. The others that you've met are Quil and Embry, but there are more." I kept my tone as flat and unemotional as possible. Just delivering the information as requested.

That startled her. "Embry, too? Is he going to tell Kat?"

"Not unless he has to." Considering Sam had forbidden us from sharing the information, it seemed highly unlikely.

She frowned. "You told _me_."

"Sure, sure, that's a completely different situation." I frowned back, a little hesitant to explain exactly how I knew that. I was certain she felt the depth of our connection, but I was in no hurry to use the word 'imprint'.

"Kat's not going to see it that way," she insisted. "She has a right to know."

"There's no _reason_ for her to know."

Beth threw her hands up, exasperated. "They're practically dating! What other reason do you need? And honestly Jake, I don't see the distinction between Kat and me where this is concerned!"

I growled, and she took an involuntary step back, which did absolutely nothing for my temper. "There's a huge difference. Embry and Kat are barely beyond flirting, you and I are _soulmates!"_

That stopped her in her tracks, and again I saw that flash of panic in her eyes. "I think I want to go back now," she said quietly.

"Beth..."

"No, it's okay." She put a hand up. "You said before that you would do this my way, but it's clear that you _can't_ do that. So I'd really like to go back now."

"Beth, I'm sorry." I wasn't quite sure what I should be sorry for, but it seemed wise to say at this point.

"It's fine."

I sighed in resignation. "I'll take you back."

"Thank you."

Holding her was torture when we were both so tense. What I really wanted to do was snuggle her into my arms and kiss her again, but neither of us would have let it happen. Instead we were silent for the entire way back, lost to our own thoughts. I knew I'd taken a wrong step with her, but I couldn't think of anything I would have done differently. How could I not tell her my feelings? How could I not try to share it with her? There were no easy answers, so in the end it was easier to say nothing.

When we reached the edge of the parking lot, I set her on her feet, prepared to continue on in stony silence. She surprised me then, reaching out to take my hand. "I don't want to fight, Jake." She hesitated, biting her lip. "I was thinking on the way back. The day Josh died we had a fight. If I'd known... if I could have even one of those minutes back..."

Looking down into her face, the brightness of tears in her eyes, it was impossible to stay angry even if I'd wanted to. I pulled her into my arms and held her tightly. "It's not going to end that way for us. I won't let it." She just nodded, but I could feel the wetness of her tears through my shirt. I did kiss her, then, softly and gently. Trying to reassure, to reaffirm the bond that still seemed so fragile and new between us. She responded with the honesty that she couldn't quite commit to out loud, and _that_ was mine to take reassurance from. "I could really get used to that," I murmured against her lips.

"You think so?" She was smiling again, and impulsively I kissed the corners of her mouth, nuzzling away the last of the tears from her cheeks.

"I know so."

We walked back towards the motel, hand in hand, the arguments put aside for the moment. About the time we were passing the pool, Beth's pocket started singing. She pulled out her cell, frowning at it. "Uhoh, Kat." Flipping it open, she answered. "Hello? Hey, yeah-- What? Oh, everything's fine, I think. Yeah, you did just hear my ring--"

The door of the room Kat and Beth were sharing flew open and Kat came charging out, Embry hot on her tail. He immediately caught my eye, trying to warn me about something, but it was impossible to get the message across. "Kat, I don't think it's a good idea to interfere that w--"

"I don't want to hear another word out of you, Embry Call!" She rounded on him like an angry she-wolf and he rocked back on his heels, looking appropriately chastened. Then she turned back toward us, her eyes going immediately to Beth. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," Beth answered quickly. She raised her eyebrows, glancing at me. "What's wrong?"

"Don't get me started," Kat said darkly, crossing her arms. "We'll be here all day." Then she glared at me. "Have you told her?"

"Um... told her what, exactly?" There were so many things to choose from. I tried to meet Embry's eyes, but Kat stepped firmly between us.

"Ask him, Beth," she growled, never looking away from me. "Ask him how old he is." Uhoh. I'd been hoping that wouldn't come up.

"What do you mean?" Still holding my hand, Beth looked up at me. "What's she talking about, Jake?"

"Kat, you're making a bigger deal out of this than it has to be," Embry said quietly.

"Tell her how old you are, Jacob," Kat commanded, ignoring him. I clenched my jaw, glaring back at her, but she was showing no sign of backing down.

"Jake?" Taking a deep breath, I looked down at Beth. She was confused, and I would have rather been polite to Edward Cullen again than tell her what she wanted to know.

"I'm 16. I'll be 17 in the fall."

Beth's eyes went wide as she did the math. I supposed to her that it really must sound bad. Seven years was a lot when you were young. There was also the sticky detail that I wasn't 18 yet. Not that we'd done anything or that anyone would make it an issue... but still.

"You're serious," she said quietly.

"Embry and Quil are both the same age he is," Kat again, still angry.

"How?" The question was faint, and almost immediately she looked away, knowing the answer. "I've gotta go." Dropping my hand like it burned, she walked quickly to their room.

Embry was at my side immediately as Kat followed Beth. "I'm so sorry, man. It came up out of the blue." He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Maybe I should have lied."

"No." I shook my head, watching the door close behind the girls. "It had to come out sometime."

"What do we do now?" He glanced at me uncertainly, unsure of what I might do. To be honest? Not even I knew that right now.

"The only thing we can do." Girls were so damned complicated. This could blow over in a matter of hours, or it could be serious trouble. "We wait."


	14. Chapter 14: Relapse

PART FOURTEEN: Relapse

_Elizabeth POV_

"As far as bathrooms are concerned, I'm really going to have to give this two stars. It's... adequate, certainly. You have the expected amenities, of course. Toilet, bath with shower, but it has a certain institutional feel that largely detracts from the overall experience..."

"That's it, I'm blocking the Home and Garden channel when we get home." Kat's voice carried clearly through the door. I was fairly sure she was sitting against it, as she had been for the past few hours.

"I'll give them pluses for the little bottles of shampoo, though. That's not something you normally see in this grade of lodging." I think I'd finally cracked. At the very least, babbling on about the bathroom was the only safe subject I could think of at the moment. Aside from the conclusion I'd reached earlier that the stain on the ceiling was likely older than my boytoy. Not that it would take much.

"I wouldn't use that shampoo, actually. It'll dry your hair out." I heard her sigh. "Honey, can I tempt you to come out for just a little while? Sitting on the floor is making my butt numb."

Hm. I don't know, could she? I leaned my head back against the tub I was currently reclined in, contemplating the question. "I'm not sure, Kat. I'm actually building quite a nice relationship with the bathroom. I think we could live together happily for quite a while."

"Yes darling, I'm sure you could." She paused, and I waited patiently to hear what she might cook up to entice me. No guarantee that it would work, of course. "Actually, if you don't mind my leaving for a few minutes, I think I have just the thing to take your mind off your troubles."

Intriguing. "You didn't have to stay this long. The bathroom and I don't need a chaperone." Unlike the other boys I'd been seeing lately. "Anyway, I think all of my plans for stealing the virtue of sixteen year-old boys have been canceled for the day."

"Just stay put for me?"

"I shan't so much as twitch." After all, the sixteen year-old in question was probably lurking outside the motel room.

I heard her get up, gather her things and leave. It got very quiet, and I was stuck somewhere between relieved and annoyed that Jake hadn't come to bother me while she was gone. Damned teenagers, they simply weren't dependable. I'd like to give him a piece of my mind, the little bastard, how dare he lie and take advantage of a vulnerable older woman in her time of need? I'm sure he thought the entire situation was just hilarious, it had never crossed my mind to question him as he'd played me like a fool.

Had I imagined the sincerity in his eyes? Was the emotion in his voice when he'd spoken of his feelings a well-played act? I scrutinized my own actions over and over again, trying to figure out if I'd been the one to lead him on in this ugly game. The only thing that made sense was that he thought it a rush, an opportunity to improve his reputation, to score off of someone like me. Was I so pathetic, so desperate to drown out the pain of my lost love that I would cling to lies instead of facing the truth? Yes, apparently I was. And it devastated me.

"Christ, I am _not_ going to cry over that little jerk again," I snarled angrily, scrubbing at my eyes. I was all cried out, I swear I was, I couldn't keep doing this. Not over a teenager I'd met a few days ago. "God Josh, if you could see me now." My voice broke, and then I really was crying again. "I'm so gullible and pathetic and stupid and _lost_." What had happened to _his_ Beth? Where was the girl that the amazing, wonderful creature named Josh Wolfe had gone down on one knee for? When had I lost her?

But I knew the answer to that question. She had died on a midsummer night when the pavement was still warm from the sun, kneeling in a pool of his blood. I screamed in rage, in denial, in the absolute frustration of someone who is powerless to change the present or past. The shower curtain was the unfortunate victim of my temper, I ripped it down in a fury and left it in a ragged heap as I curled on the floor with my arms around my knees.

"Betts?" Kat's voice was tentative, I think she'd heard my temper fit. Wonderful. "Are you alright?"

"Do I sound alright?"

"Not particularly." The door opened slowly, and she stuck her head in. "You're still in one piece, that's good." Her eyes moved to the shower curtain. "I see there have been casualties." A pause. "But that's alright." Stepping inside, she sat down on the lid of the toilet. "Will you come out for a few minutes? I have something that should help. At least for a little while."

"What?" I asked softly, dully.

"Normally I'm not a big fan of this sort of self-medication, but I think we've earned it. So let's just call it a painkiller." She smiled, but it was a tight, lips over her teeth sort of smile. It meant she was hiding her anger.

I thought about it for a long moment and looked around the confines of the bathroom. How long could I stay in here, honestly? I hesitated, and then someone knocked on the door, loudly. Kat scowled, and I could tell she was tempted to ignore it, but then they knocked again.

"Just a minute, sweetie. I need to do some pest control." She swept out, but left the bathroom door open. I stared at it for a moment, then lurched to my feet and followed her. Kat was already at the door to the room, hissing furiously at whomever stood there. Embry, it sounded like.

"We heard screaming," he insisted. "I just wanted to make sure everything was alright."

"Everything's fine, no thanks to you." Kat snapped. "Anything else?"

"No."

"Good," she slammed the door in his face. "Okay, where were we?" She caught sight of me and smiled. "I'm glad you came out." Moving to the dresser, she started unpacking several bags. "I tried to think of what might take the edge off. And this seemed the most likely choice." I sat on the edge of the bed, watching as she combined ice cubes, cranberry juice, sprite and a liberal dose of Grey Goose. "We'll just call it a quick and dirty Cosmo. Close enough." Stirring the plastic cup with a straw, she handed it to me, then attacked another bag.

I took a small sip, found the taste to my liking and went in for a healthy swallow. The burn was pleasant, promising relief in a relatively short time. "Mm, this is good."

"If you like that, you should love this." Kat pulled what looked like a cake out of the bag, followed by plates and forks. She opened the container and I sniffed appreciatively. Chocolate cheesecake. "I'd have gotten ice cream, but we don't have anywhere to keep it."

"I think what you brought will be perfect." Oh yes, my drink was being very helpful.

"I'm glad you agree." She gave me a plate with a generous slice of the cheesecake on it, then busied herself with making her own drink. "You were pretty lucky the first time around. Oh, I know Josh wasn't perfect. But he wasn't nearly the idiot some of the guys I've dated were."

"True." I'd seen some of her exes, she had a good point.

"Boys are stupid creatures. Barely worth bothering with, really." Producing a cocktail umbrella, she popped it into her cup and took a sip. "Oh, this is excellent."

"Do you like Embry, Kat?"

She hesitated and then turned around. "Does it really matter at this point?"

I frowned, and then concerned myself with my cheesecake. "I don't know, does it?"

Kat took a healthy sip of her drink and sighed. "Yeah. I do. He's a really nice guy. Refreshingly low on ego, fun to be with. I mean, we talked the whole time I was driving up here, and I can't immediately think of an ex-boyfriend I'd want to do that with. Good kisser." She took another sip. "Pity he's barely old enough to drive."

"Yeah." Pity. Tipping back my drink, I finished it off, handing her the cup. "I'll be needing some more of that, bartender."

"Yes ma'am, coming right up."

It didn't seem to take long at all before both the cheesecake and the Vodka were done for. Kat was flopped on her bed, a cocktail umbrella tucked behind each ear, singing the soundtrack from Wicked. She was quite good.

I was sprawled on the floor between our beds, chewing contemplatively on the end of my straw. Odd how much brighter the world looked with half a bottle of Vodka and a blissful level of chocolate in the blood. The injuries on my back didn't hurt, my body felt light, and my heartache was pleasantly muffled.

In fact, I felt downright fearless, and perhaps even a bit righteously indignant now that I'd thought of it. "You know, I think I was far _far_ too polite earlier," I posited, gesturing expansively with the straw.

Kat left off her singing, rolling over to regard me with an affectionate grin. "Absolutely"

"I practically let that infuriating boy right off the hook!" Oh now I was truly indignant.

"Practically? Positively!" Kat seemed to think it was marvelous. Her support merely spurred me on.

"I have to do something about this." Just as soon as I could claw my way upright, which was proving to be a bit of a challenge. "Really, I owe it to womankind, if I don't correct him appropriately, then I've unleashed a monster." I got a foot hold on the nightstand, lurching half-erect. "This can't go on."

"Oh, by no means. Just a travesty, really." Kat watched me avidly from the bed, making no attempt to follow my foolhardy example.

With a last heave, I was on my feet, a bit unsteady but mobile. Moving from one handhold to the next, I staggered my way to the door. "I'll be back when I'm done with him," I announced dramatically, and lurched out into the open air.

"Betts! Wait a minute, maybe that's not a good idea!" I heard a crash and some language that was both coarse and physically improbable.

"No Kat, don't stop me! I'm a woman on a mission!" Just as soon as I figured out where the hell I was going. I looked around blearily, trying to get my bearings in the open courtyard, when I heard my name.

"Beth?" I focused on the sound, resting a hand on a lightpost to keep from toppling, and found the very object of my ire sitting on the steps we'd shared, god, had it been a lifetime ago?

"There you are." Gathering myself, I strode purposefully toward him. Or rather, that's what I meant to do. In practice, I staggered about three steps and had to wave my arms to keep from toppling.

"Beth!" I meant to tell him sharply that his alarm was completely unnecessary, but he was infuriatingly fast. He enveloped me in the deep warmth of his arms and surrounded me in his scent, and I had to fight furiously to hold onto my anger when I really wanted to swoon like some ridiculous romance novel heroine.

"Don't do that, dammit!" I shoved at him, but it was a bit like trying to make a brick wall move out of the way.

"What's wrong with you?" He wrinkled his nose and narrowed his eyes. "Whoa, you reek. What is that?"

"Vodka, which you are far too young to drink, puppy!" I wagged my finger at him.

"Vodka?" The look on his face seemed to be caught somewhere between angry and sad. Fortunately, it reminded me that _I_ was the angry one here, thank you.

"Yes, vodka," I snapped irritably. "I'm a grown, 23 year-old woman, I'm perfectly within my rights to drink when I want to." Where had I heard that argument before? I frowned, searching my fuzzy memory. _'I'm a grown woman, Josh. I'm perfectly capable of having a few drinks when I want to.'_ All at once, déjà vu hit me like a steamroller, and I tried frantically to get free of the arms that held me. "Let me go. _Let me go_!"

"No." Jake's voice was soft and grim. "No matter how much you want me to, I can't do that." He laughed bitterly. "I wonder if Cullen would say that makes him the better man?" he murmured against my hair.

"Let me go," I begged, and the tears were flowing again as I tugged futilely at his hands. "I can't… I can't trust you." My voice broke on the last word, because it was a lie. He was not nearly the traitor that I was. "You're not even close to my age, we're completely different people." I kept struggling, but his hold never loosened.

"Everything you've said is the truth," he said quietly. "All of it. But it doesn't change the fact that I love you."

"Stop saying that!" I screamed it, anger and fear and emotions I never wanted to feel again breaking through my comfortable numbness.

"I will say it as many times as it takes for you to believe it," he whispered fervently. "And then I will keep saying it for as long as I still have the breath to speak."

"I killed Josh," I said miserably. The first time I had ever said those words out loud.

He touched my face, a spark of understanding in his eyes, along with a sympathy that made me feel sick. "I'm a lot sturdier than he was. You'll have to be loads more creative about it."

"You're too young for me," I insisted.

"Does that really matter to you?" He looked down into my eyes searchingly. Which would have been more effective if I wasn't seeing double. "Really, Beth?"

"Yes." There was no conviction in my voice.

"I don't buy it," he whispered the words against my cheek, and then he kissed me. I should have been angry, that he'd go so obviously against my wishes; angrier still that he'd taken advantage of me when I was clearly drunk. Instead I clung to him, kissing him back fiercely, needing him more than air or water or life itself.

We pulled back, eyes locked together, and then I did the only thing I could under the circumstances.

I threw up on his shoes.


	15. Chapter 15: Almost Doesn't Count

PART FIFTEEN: Almost Doesn't Count

_Jacob POV_

On a scale of one to ten, I would rate my evening somewhere in the negatives. Sadly, that's an improvement on the prior numbers, which were roughly in the negative double digits. Pretty pathetic when you could count the girl you love puking on your feet as an _improvement_.

"Easy baby, it's alright." Supporting Beth with one hand, I tangled the other in her hair to keep it out of her face. We were standing barefoot in a flower bed-- okay _I_ was standing, she was draped over my arm making zombie noises. It seemed like a safer place to be once she'd started blowing chunks, less likely to offend the other motel guests. "There can't be much more left in there," I observed, trying to be helpful.

"Please don't talk," she groaned miserably. "My head is killing me."

"I thought the hangover came the day after." I really shouldn't be teasing her, but it was hard to resist.

"You throw up half your body weight and see if it doesn't make your ears ring." She coughed, her body tensing, but nothing else seemed to be forthcoming. "Okay... I think maybe I'd like to lay down now." Bracing herself against my arm, she gingerly straightened.

"Why did you drink enough to make yourself this sick?" I murmured into her ear, my arm tight around her waist.

"Trying to be numb." She wouldn't look at me. "It worked for a little while."

That made me shake my head. Stupid. "It's like I said before. Dealing with it that way just means it waits to ambush you later." I scooped her up without asking for permission and turned back in the direction of the rooms. The motion made her dizzy and she clutched at her head with a soft whimper. I paused and settled her a bit more securely in my arms, encouraging her to lay her head on my shoulder.

She sighed, and her hand tightened and released on my shirt like a cat's paw. "Can we not have this discussion right now? Besides, what gives you the right to preach to me anyway? You're sixteen."

I glanced down, she was frowning at me fiercely. "Sixteen and smarter than you, Miss College Grad." I knew that was probably the wrong thing to say as soon as I said it, but damn the age thing was getting annoying. "I may be younger than you are, but I know better than to get drunk off my ass."

"I very seldom do that," she replied stiffly. "In fact, the last time--"

"Beth, don't bring that up right now. If you start crying again, I'm not sure what I'm going to do with you." I knew where that was going, and while I wanted to be the sensitive guy about it, we could run in circles all night.

"You're a bossy little asshole, aren't you?"

I blinked and nearly stumbled. "What?"

"You. You're a bossy. Little. Asshole." When I didn't immediately answer, she laughed. "And the great Jacob Black is speechless."

"You're still drunk," I accused as we reached the door to her room.

"Maybe a little," she agreed.

I sighed. "Do you have your keycard?"

"Uhoh." She bit her lip and shook her head. "I don't think I grabbed one on the way out. You could knock?"

"You were both drinking, right?" I eyed her, quickly doing the math. "Kat's probably in the bathroom or passed out on the bed." Making a decision, I turned and went to the room next door. I had a key for that one. "You can sleep with me."

"I'm still mad at you, Jake," she warned. "Besides, do you know how it would look if someone found out we shared the bed? They'd probably arrest me."

"Then you can sleep on the floor." That shut her up. I fished the card out of my jeans pocket and stuck it in the slot. The bathroom light was still on, but Quil was snoring peacefully on the floor between the two beds. He'd drawn the short straw tonight. Embry's bed was empty. Hm. No telling where he'd wandered off to. I set Beth down on the edge of the bed that was mine and looked down at her thoughtfully. "Can you sleep in that?" She was still wearing her jeans and a lace-trimmed blouse from earlier.

"I can manage."

I narrowed my eyes at her dubiously, but she didn't budge. Without another word, I stripped off my t-shirt and handed it to her. "Put this on." For a moment she hesitated, and then reached out to take it. "It was clean this morning... and it doesn't bite." She stuck her tongue out at me.

"Can you turn around, please? Or, actually, get me some water?" She gave me a pleading look. "My mouth still tastes a little funky."

Guh, if the woman knew the power she had with that sort of look... "Yes ma'am." Unable to stop myself from smiling, I leaned down and kissed her forehead. "Be right back." I went to the vanity area at the back of the room and unwrapped a plastic cup, taking my time. I was listening, waiting until the rustling of fabric stopped. When the cup was full and the quiet had stretched out for nearly a minute, I returned to the bed.

Beth knelt beside a small pile of clothes, wearing my black t-shirt like a dress. She grinned, accepting the cup of water. "Sexy, right?"

"You have no idea," I muttered, trying not to notice the lacy bra folded on top of her jeans. She took a long sip of the water, her blue eyes watching me over the rim of the cup, pale lashes like lace fans against her cheeks when she closed her eyes. Kneeling on the bed, half drunk, wearing only her underwear and my t-shirt... she was the most gorgeous, desirable creature I'd ever seen. My imagination began to run away with me, making suggestions that had my blood running hot. I swallowed hard and shifted my weight, meaning to take a step back, but she reached out and curled her slim fingers through the belt loop of my jeans.

"All finished." Beth handed me the empty cup, then used the hold she had on my belt loop to pull herself closer. Her cool, soft hand rested on my bare chest, slowly moving upward. "You know a lot about me, Jake. But I don't know much at all about you."

"What do you want to know?" I asked hoarsely. She leaned close, pressing a kiss to my bare skin and a shiver went through me. It was all I could do to keep my hands by my sides.

"I know you're a wolf... I know you're sixteen. That Embry and Quil are you best friends." Lifting her head, her eyes met mine. "I know that there's something that keeps pulling us together. Something we can't fight." Her arms slid around my waist, her fingernails biting gently into my back in a way that made me hiss. "But that's about it."

"That's most of it," I said softly.

"Have you ever been in love before? Some of the things you've said..." She left it open for me to answer, her fingertips still drawing intricate patterns on my back.

"Once. It didn't end well." Odd, how that seemed like a lifetime ago, that Bella had become the past, and Beth had consumed my present and future.

"You kissed her?" Those pale lashes dropped low again, but this time she looked up at me through them, and suddenly I felt less like the wolf and more like the rabbit.

"A few times." Beth left three little kisses in her wake, each one higher than the last. Was it getting hot in here?

"What about other things?" She pulled back slightly, her hands finding mine, tugging them gently up until they rested at the hem of her borrowed t-shirt.

"Other things?" My fingers closed convulsively around the soft fabric. Closed, and then slid irresistibly beneath, sliding over the smooth, soft skin of her thighs.

Blue eyes claimed mine, and I was helpless to look away from them. She could have asked for my soul at that moment and I would have given it up without a word of protest. "Have you ever made love to someone before, Jake?"

"Made love?" I think I blushed, in fact I know I did. "Um..." I looked down, suddenly feeling very much like a sixteen year-old. "No. Never." Now my face was absolutely burning.

Beth touched my cheek, the pad of her thumb stroking gently over my bottom lip. "Don't look down. That's not something to be ashamed of." Her hand slid to the back of my neck, pulling me down until I knelt with her and she could wrap both arms around my neck. She kissed me once, very softly, then pulled back just far enough to speak. "I was eighteen, with Josh. It's absolutely true what they say," she whispered, her blue eyes like deep pools of clear water. "Your first time should be with someone you love."

"Beth..."

Her hands framed my face, gently holding me so that our eyes remained locked. "Are you sure I'm that person for you?"

I finally let my hands do what they wanted, gliding over her hips and the thin cotton of her panties and up the graceful curve of her back; touching her bare, soft skin as they never had before. "Absolutely certain." We kissed, this time a real kiss, slow and deep. I could still taste a trace of the vodka on her tongue, but not enough to bother me. I was too enthralled with touching her, tracing her flat belly and the high, round curves of her breasts. The t-shirt slid higher, exposing more fair skin to my eyes as well as my hands. I was so close to tugging it over her head, to pulling down every single barrier that kept us apart, even the physical ones.

I wanted her so badly, wanted to press her down to the bed and wipe away every lingering trace of 'someone else' from mind, heart and body. Not just for her, but for us both. Above all, I wanted my Beth, my Elizabeth, to be mine, my mate, in every way. I think I might have done it, ignored the surroundings, and the fact that her head wasn't completely clear. No, I know that I would have. She was so willing, soft and warm, guiding me with a gentle hand. I would have made her mine and damn the consequences, except for one thing...

"Dude, you have lost your mind if you think I'm going to lay here on the floor like a burrito while you lose your cherry to the pretty blonde." Quil. Whoops.

I dragged my mouth away from Beth's and she whimpered in protest. Okay, officially the hardest thing I've _ever_ done. "I'm telling you, man. Go find a fucking pool chair." Beth was kissing and sucking on my neck in a way that made my eyelids flutter.

"You've got to be joking." He snorted.

"Am I laughing?" Oh god was that her hand... where I _thought_ it was? "Beth, don't do that," I whispered breathlessly, panting like I was running a marathon. "God Beth, _please_..." Quil's eyes appeared above the edge of the bed. The effect was sort of like trying to have hot sex with your dog watching. "Baby... please get your hand out of my pants."

"You don't sound like you want me to," she whispered, using wicked little teeth to leave love bites on my collar bone.

"I love you _so_," my voice jumped an octave as she lightly squeezed, "much." Deep breath. "But I don't want to make love to you while Snoopy glares at us. I'm sorry." I glared at Quil. Someone was going to share the deep hurting with me. Oh yes.

"Okay." Beth pulled away and I bit my lip, fighting down the urge to bodily eject Quil from the room. "Maybe another time."

Very carefully I moved back, watching with great regret as she tugged the t-shirt down and went to sit against the headboard, her knees drawn up to her chest. "You _owe_ me," I hissed.

"You'll thank me later, bro. She's about to pass out." He sounded way too smug for my comfort, but I glanced over to see that Beth's eyelids were already drooping. Maybe he had a point.

I still stepped on his toes when I moved around the bed to coax Beth into laying down. He grumbled in pain and I grinned, somewhat mollified, as I tucked her in and then stretched out beside her. Okay, so maybe we weren't having mind-blowing sex. Spooning her back against my chest, my arm wrapped around her, wasn't bad.

Okay. I admit it. I'd still rather be having the sex.


	16. Chapter 16: Morning After Cure

PART SIXTEEN: Morning After Cure

Elizabeth POV

I sat on a rock in the vale, listening to the muted sound of the waterfall as it tumbled into the pool at my feet. Twilight held dominion, the day winnowed down to its last few moments with a sense of anticipation, as though the forest held its breath before sliding into evening's embrace. As I gazed down into the water, a dark reflection appeared beside my own. Feeling no fear, I reached out and stroked my hand down the shoulder of the black wolf.

He lowered his head so that our eyes met, and I felt certain he was trying to tell me something.

"He's concerned." I hadn't heard that voice in a very long time. Closing my eyes, I counted heartbeats, hoping it hear it again. "You were always so beautiful when you did that. Like you were waiting for me to kiss you."

Someone joined me on my rock, and I knew without needing to open my eyes who it was. His scent, his voice, even the way his body fit against mine when we were this close. "Josh."

"Hey Red." He pressed a kiss to my temple, and I shivered from sweet pain. In profile he was just as I remembered. Perfect nose, stubborn jaw and lips that were made for generous smiles, his sandy blonde hair falling into hazel eyes. I loved those eyes, I'd teased him once that we would only have children if he promised they would have his eyes. That moment seemed so stupid now. "You can't live in the past forever, love. It's time to move forward again."

"I don't know what you mean." But I did, and he knew it too.

"I love you, Beth. But you can be so hard-headed sometimes." He stroked my hair, that smile tugging at his lips. "I will always love you. Dying didn't change that, and it never will." His arms wrapped around me, holding me tight, and it was all I could do not to fall apart. "I don't want your guilt," he whispered. "It wasn't your fault."

"I messed up everything," I murmured brokenly.

"No." He shook his head. "If I could take those memories away, I would." For a few moments, he was silent, then he touched my face. "Do you know what I want?"

"What?"

"Be happy." His hand lifted my chin, and I met his eyes through a glaze of tears. "Every day you should laugh, so that the dimples come out in your cheeks," he traced his fingertip across my lips. "I want you to smile again, Red. I want you to love someone. To be touched and cherished by someone that loves you back." He shook his head. "You don't belong on a shelf, getting dusty with memories."

"You don't understand," I said hoarsely, but he pressed his fingertip to my lips again.

"I do. More than you could ever know." Again he kissed my forehead. "Live for me, Beth," he whispered. "Make love, have babies, grow old... don't waste the time you have by locking yourself away." There was so much more to say, and we both knew it. But the time had run out. All but forgotten, the black wolf made his presence known again, whining softly. He stepped closer and looked at Josh expectantly. Josh met his eyes, his expression sad, and nodded. "I have to go, baby."

"No... please stay."

"You don't need me, Beth. But there _is_ someone that needs you." His lips brushed mine, slow and soft and lingering. "I love you, and I always will." He moved away, and in that one simple act, let me go. Before I could even call his name, the twilight faded into black.

#

I woke with a start, and knew immediately I was in unfamiliar surroundings. My head was aching, but I had a feeling I was getting off easy. Yeah, the more I remembered about last night, I was sure of it.

Yawning, I slid my hand down Jake's arm and curled my fingers over his. I was still wearing his t-shirt and little else, and as I traced the smooth surface of his fingernails with the pad of my thumb, I remembered what it felt like to have those big, deft hands underneath my borrowed shirt. '_Be happy_.' I remembered the way Jake caressed me, as though I were something precious, to be handled with greatest care. '_I want you to love someone_.' I remembered his lips, drinking me down like the water of life. '_To be touched and cherished by someone that loves you back_.' I remembered his eyes, looking at me as if I were the only woman in the world. The most beautiful, the most perfect, the one meant for him.

Blinking back tears, I rolled over and looked into his peaceful, sleeping face. He seemed so young like that, I could almost believe he was sixteen when his face was so untroubled. Age, I reflected, was only a number, and my number was simply a little higher than his. It could be no more complicated than that if I let it. I made my choice and shifted forward that last little distance, lightly touching my lips to his. I kissed his upper lip, and the full curve of the lower, pressed a kiss to each corner of his mouth and the tip of his nose. Somewhere between his nose and his lips, he woke up, and as I lingered he started to kiss me back.

I tasted the inner depths of his mouth, tangling my fingers into his thick, dark hair. He was still bare chested, and I could feel the heat of his skin through the t-shirt like a banked flame. I wanted to run my hands over that heat, over all of him, but I knew before long we'd encounter the same problem as last night. His name was Quil.

Apparently Jake was having similar thoughts, his dark eyes searching my face as we pulled back. "Are you still drunk?" he asked warily.

I giggled, I couldn't help myself, although it made me wince as my head throbbed. "No, not drunk."

"Delirious?" The beginnings of a careful grin tugged at his lips. I reached out to touch it, exploring its widening curve.

"No, not delirious, either." I chewed my lip, choosing my words carefully. "I had a dream... and then I did some thinking."

"What did you think about?" His arm tightened around my waist, pulling me just a bit closer.

"That you won't be sixteen forever. That I can't afford to throw away something amazing." I stroked his cheek. "I don't know how this is going to go. I still need some patience... but I think it's worth trying."

The words were barely out of my mouth before he was kissing me. Joyful, hungry kisses that made me shiver from head to toe. He rolled onto his back, pulling me with him so that I was sprawled on his broad chest, his fingers twined into my hair. It had been a long time since I'd made out with someone quite that enthusiastically. I knew I was rusty, but if he noticed he didn't seem to care. Jake had a very intuitive way of knowing where to touch, how to kiss, making up for what he lacked in experience with talent. We managed. And before long we had Quil grumbling at us again.

I finally insisted that I needed a shower and clean clothes. Although I ended up throwing a pillow at Jake when he insisted that if I cared about the earth that I would save water by showering with him. Dork. I pulled on my jeans but retained custody of his t-shirt, stepping outside into the muted sunlight of an Olympic early morning.

I knocked next door, listening for Kat. After a minute or two, Jake leaned over me to knock again, more loudly.

"Just a blasted minute. I'm coming," I heard Kat say furiously on the other side.

"Uhoh, it sounds like she's got a hangover," I said quietly, making a face. I didn't know the half of it.

The door opened and Kat stood in it, wearing the comforter off the bed like a toga. She had her sunglasses on and her hair was in disarray. She looked like she'd been partying all night long. "Oh dammit, I didn't expect you to have him with you." Turning her head, she glared toward the bed. "Put a pillow over your bare ass unless you want the entire world to see it," she hissed.

"What the hell?" Jake being taller than I was, apparently had a better view. "Don't tell me... you didn't!" He looked at Kat, incredulous. "You and Embry?!"

"Busted," a tired but cheerful voice announced from the bed.

"I hope Embry didn't like unicorns," Kat observed a touch smugly, examining her nails. "Because I doubt they'll be interested anymore."

"Weren't you the one that started the whole fuss about their age?" I arched an eyebrow.

"Sixteen's over the legal age of consent," she said with a shrug. "I checked."

"Okay," I loved her like my sister, but it still wasn't any of my business. "Well, I'm just going to grab some clothes, and then I'll use the shower in the other room."

"That works." Decision made, Kat was in no hurry to linger in the bright light of day. Just like I was in no hurry to linger in the room. I grabbed fresh clothes, assured an apologetic Kat that I was alright and hurried back out. Embry had covered his butt at least, but that was still more of him than I'd expected to see.

Jake had waited outside, and once I rejoined him, he glanced back at the closed door and scowled. "What's wrong?" I leaned into him, looking up at his face. "Want to talk about it?"

"It's nothing." He stepped back over to their door. "It's just... now I owe Quil 20."

I put my hands up. "Don't tell me. I don't want to know."


	17. Chapter 17: Sister of the Pack

PART SEVENTEEN: Sister of the Pack

_Jacob POV_

I swear I wasn't gone for longer than five minutes. I went down to the office to get a cup of coffee for Beth. But in that brief window of time, we'd been invaded.

"Aw damn, I was really hoping she'd be ugly."

"Actually, I'll have to compliment Jake on his taste. I'm not much of a redhead fan, myself. But the whole package is _nice_."

"Excuse me! Maybe you didn't notice, but I'm standing right here."

I pushed the door the rest of the way open to find Beth glaring at Jared and Paul. The two knuckleheads were flopped comfortably on the beds, watching her avidly as they made their formal assessment. I really should have warned her about that. "Alright you mutts, lay off."

"_Jake_." Sighing with relief, Beth came to my side. Handing her the cup of coffee, I slid an arm around her waist and was pleasantly surprised when she leaned into me. "Quil let them in before he got in the shower." She sounded angry, not upset, and I couldn't fault her for that. I'd be pissed too if Quil had dumped me with strangers, especially the club bouncers from hell.

"It's okay, they're part of the pack." I caught the significant look that passed between the two of them, and they both sat up straight, eyeing Beth with renewed interest.

"Great, they're getting fleas on the bed," she replied without missing a beat. Paul frowned, but Jared just chuckled and flicked an imaginary flea off of his jeans.

"Well, I suppose we can talk to Sam about putting flea collars on them." That got a pillow bounced off my head. I caught it before it fell and lobbed it back. "The itchy one is Jared, the grumpy one is Paul. Kids, this is Beth."

"Itchy and Grumpy, got it."

"I like her," Jared said cheerfully. "I think Grumpy does, too." Paul smacked him with a pillow. I could see where this was going if I didn't intervene.

"So why the visit?" I plucked the pillow out of Jared's hand before it made another trip across the room.

"Sam's called a breakfast meeting. We were sent to fetch you since none of you have checked in recently." Paul yawned. "We're going to have to hurry or the puppies will eat all the food."

"You should go," Beth slipped around my back to set her coffee on the dresser. "Kat and I can fend for ourselves."

"Actually," Jared began casually, "Sam specifically told us to bring you."

"Me?" She looked up at me, startled. I shrugged and shook my head.

"Yes ma'am, it's not everyday one of us imprints."

Uhoh. I winced, I hadn't used those exact words with her, yet. Mostly because she seemed to have gotten the gist of things on her own. Why did I have a bad feeling that would backfire on me?

"Imprint?" She sounded thoughtful, but I made a point of not looking at her face. "That's a wolf thing, right?" It was, however, all but impossible to avoid both Jared and Paul's eyes. Jared lifted his eyebrows, giving me a 'dude, you've got to be kidding' look. I scowled back.

"Yeah, it's a wolf thing," I said finally, reluctantly. "It's the word we use to describe what's been happening between you and me." This was really not how I'd wanted this conversation to go. But it seemed like every serious talk we'd had in the past few days had become volatile before I could give her all the information. "Actually..." I took a deep breath and fervently wished we didn't have an audience. "It mostly has to do with me."

"I.. don't see what wolf stuff has to do with our relationship." Beth moved so that she was standing directly in front of me, looking up into my face with her hands on my chest. "Besides, Kat's the mysticism-junkie, Jake, not me." She was trying to play it off lightly, but I could feel the tension in her.

"Wolf stuff has everything to do with our relationship." Ignoring the others, I touched her face, cupping her cheek in my hand. "It's real, Beth," I said quietly. "Sometimes... we find our mates this way. The moment we meet them, we just know." I gently stroked the elegant slope of her cheekbone with my thumb. "You're my perfect match, Elizabeth. I knew it that first moment in the woods." My voice dropped to little more than a whisper, though I knew my pack brothers would still hear. "There will never be anyone else for me."

"Wow." She let out the breath she'd been holding with a low whistle. "You really don't let up with the revelations, do you?" I decided to take the fact that she hadn't pulled away as a good sign. "Wow. I'm not sure what to say... or that I like what you're telling me. I mean, I guess it makes sense in a way. This has all been so fast." She ran slim fingers through her hair. "So, are you basically saying that you wouldn't give a crap about me without the mystical matchmaking?"

"That's not it at all," Jared interjected, his voice firm. "It's more like a compass. It points us in the right direction. But you would have been his match regardless of whether or not he was smart enough to figure it out on his own." That was a good way to put it, better than I could have come up with. I reminded myself to thank him later.

"Hmm." She chewed her lip and looked up into my eyes. I could tell just how furiously she was thinking, the way her brow furrowed, her gaze turned inward. You could practically hear the gears turning. "I suppose it's no different than weird dreams, silver cords and crazy impulses," she muttered.

"Are you okay with it?" Did I dare hope?

"I'm not going to go back on what I said earlier, Jake." Her voice was soft. She plucked a bit nervously at the front of my shirt, but her hands remained on my chest. "If I keep running away from everything that scares me, I'll never stop."

"You're calm about the werewolf thing and about this, but you freak out over my age." I frowned down at her. "What am I missing?"

"I never claimed to be normal." She stuck her tongue out at me. Damn I wished we were alone. "Don't get me wrong, I'm still working on the imprint thing. But my dreams all but showed me the wolves." She raised an eyebrow. "The age part came out of nowhere. You don't look sixteen."

"He acts twelve, it evens out," Jared said cheerfully. "By the way... where's Embry?"

"Em spent the night boning the chick next door." Quil was done with his shower. He emerged, fully dress, a towel draped around his neck. "He's still over there."

"Aw man! Embry got laid?"

"Boning a chick?"

"Kat is _not_ a 'chick'!"

I blinked at the sudden chaos, and quickly snagged Beth around the waist before she could go after Quil. "Chill out, guys." I raised my voice enough to carry. "Embry's a big boy, he can make his own decisions."

Quil shrugged, rubbing at his damp hair with the towel. "I didn't say he couldn't. Although, does that change things? Do we bring her with us?" Jared lifted his eyebrows, exchanging a glance with Paul before looking at me.

"You're the boss man here, bro."

I frowned and looked down at Beth, who was glaring balefully back. "No Kat, no Beth," she growled.

Okay, apparently a compromise was in order if I wanted to keep my life simple. "We'll bring her along for now. I'll need to talk to Sam before we decide _anything_ beyond that." She still wasn't completely satisfied with that, I could tell she still thought Kat should know about the pack, but at least now she seemed less inclined to skewer me.

After we collected Embry and Kat from next door, I sent Quil, Jared and Paul back to La Push ahead of us. Kat was still suffering from all the vodka the night before, leaving Beth to drive the Xterra while Kat stayed in the backseat, her head in Embry's lap. I have never, in all the years I've known him, seen Embry Call look _that_ smug. I think it annoyed Beth, she kept frowning at him in the rear view mirror. It was cute.

Approaching La Push by car felt strange, I was so used to traveling on four legs now. No one did much talking, but as we neared the reservation I dared to reach out and take Beth's hand. A smile tugged at the corner of her mouth and she curled her slim fingers through mine. Settling back in my seat, I wondered if I looked as smug as Embry.

Emily's small house was crowded when we arrived. The entire pack was assembled, puppies included, and Kim was with Emily in the kitchen, helping dish up food for the hungry masses. As we stepped through the door, every eye was on us. I slid an arm around Beth's waist. trying to reassure her. The tension vibrated through her slender body and I could tell she was unprepared to find so many curious faces turned her way. Kat stepped up on Beth's other side and quietly took her hand.

Looking every inch the pack leader, Sam rose from his place at the table and stepped toward us. His eyes went to Kat and back to me, eyebrows lifted, asking the obvious question. I shrugged in answer, now was not the time to talk about that. When he looked at Beth, he smiled. "Hello Beth. It's nice to finally meet you. I'm Sam Uley."

A furrow appeared between her eyes and she looked up at him intently. I have no idea what passed between them, but if I weren't _positive _he was happily, permanently bound to Emily, I'd be jealous. Especially when Beth abruptly smiled and offered him her hand. "Hi Sam." They greeted each other like old friends, a fact that had Kat puzzled, too. Although Kat did a better job of hiding it when Beth turned toward her. "Sam, this is Katrina McAllister, my roommate and best friend. Kat, this is Sam." She smiled and made with the polite, I stood there and looked dumbfounded.

"I understand you're a friend of Embry's too, Kat." Sam was the perfect gentleman, but I heard a few snickers from the rest of the pack. Around here, a secret was only a secret for as long as it took someone to think it.

"She is." Embry finally moved forward from where he'd been lingering in the open doorway. He looked sheepish, but made a point of taking Kat's hand, something that made both girls smile at him. I swear that women are the original pack hunters. Wolves learned it all just from watching them.

The rest of the introductions were less momentous, and we managed to make it in on the last batch of hot food. After chasing off the puppies, I sandwiched Beth and Kat between myself and Embry at the table; on display for the customary group gawking, but relatively safe from poking and prodding. Beth seemed content to munch on one of Emily's homemade muffins, Kat just hugged a cup of coffee and watched Embry demolish his overflowing plate in horrified fascination.

I savored mine for as long as it took to shovel it in, properly feeding my wolf-fueled appetite for the first time in a few days. "They feed you regularly, right?" Beth leaned her cheek against my arm, watching me eat with amusement. She chuckled, then poked me gently in the ribs. "Hmm... there's definitely flesh on those bones." I glanced at her way and just barely caught the wicked glint in her eye before she tickled me.

"Stop that." I snickered, scooting to the far edge of my chair. She giggled and pursued, lightly raking her nails along my side. She'd never been so openly flirtatious before, and I was startled that she was doing it now with an audience. Plotting my counterattack, I saw her eyes dart across the table... toward Leah. Leah, who looked like she'd just bit into something rotten, seething with jealousy. That stopped me cold. I couldn't quite wrap my brain around what would get Leah so hot and bothered over me and Beth. Sure, she'd all but followed me around after Bella and I called it quits, but it wasn't like we were a couple. Shifting closer to me, Beth's eyes narrowed, and she slipped an arm around my waist. "Everything okay?" I touched her cheek, making her look at me.

"Absolutely fine." She smiled, but there was an edge to it. I'll admit it, I was kind of enjoying this possessive streak.

I was right on the verge of teasing her about it when Sam stood, waiting until he had everyone's attention. It didn't take long, command came as naturally as breathing to Sam. I could never hope to match that, which was why I'd never made an attempt to take his spot as Alpha. "Embry, why don't you take your friend outside for a few minutes?"

Embry nodded and got to his feet, offering a hand to Kat. She looked at Beth, a question in her eyes. "It's alright," I murmured in Beth's ear.

Beth hesitated, but then slowly nodded to Kat. "Go ahead. I'll be fine here."

Reluctantly, Kat allowed Embry to lead her out into the early morning mist. I tugged Beth closer to me, pressing a kiss to her temple. "Thank you for going along with things for now."

"You owe me," she said quietly, but she leaned into me, accepting that for the moment things would be said that Kat couldn't hear.

"Beth, you know what we are," Sam began soberly. "But I don't believe you've been told what our purpose is."

I took a deep breath, this was the last thing I had meant to tell her, the last important thing that had fallen through the cracks. "We're vampire hunters," I said quietly, my eyes on my pack.

"Vampires." Her voice was wary. "I want to say that's impossible, but... so are werewolves." She sighed, rubbing her forehead. "I think my head is going to explode," she said softly.

"It's understandable, it will take some time to completely grasp what we've told you today," Sam said, his tone gentle. "All you really need to understand is that we exist to protect our people and our lands from any threat... but above all from the Cold Ones. What are commonly called vampires. The reason I've shared this information with you now is so you may understand what else I have to say."

His gaze swept us all, insuring that we were listening. "The Cullens have contacted us, they've let us know that the bloodsuckers known as Volturi have become active in our area again. They're not certain what the cause is, because the Volturi seem to have no interest in making contact with them. So. We'll be treating this as any other hostile contact. They come into our territory uninvited, they're fair game." He paused, and then looked at Beth again. "I do have one major concern. The research project that we've been monitoring... I can't help but think they'll become a target. The leeches will see an easy meal and go for it." Beth tensed again, and I rubbed her back soothingly. "What I'm hoping Beth, is that you may have some influence on them. We need to warn them away from the woods. As quietly as possible."

"If they're in danger," she said quietly, "of course I'll do everything I can to help."

"Thank you." Sam's voice was warm, and Beth seemed to take as much comfort from his approval as the rest of us. "You are a true sister of the Pack." Then he moved on and addressed all of us, talking strategies, patrol schedules and what we could expect if we encountered bloodsuckers.

As the discussion continued, Beth took a deep breath and rested her head on my shoulder, her voice a soft murmur. "I hope I don't regret that."

Pressing my lips to her ear, I held her close. "You won't, Beth. I swear it." The one thing I was absolutely certain of was that I would protect this woman with my life. No matter what.


	18. Chapter 18: The Caterpillar Mating Dance

PART EIGHTEEN: The Caterpillar Mating Dance

_Elizabeth POV_

Imprinting. Vampires. Mortal danger. Strange women coveting my newly claimed territory. All in a day's work, really. Yeah, hear that hysterical laughter off in the distance? That's my sanity, it ran off screaming into the underbrush about fifteen minutes ago. Give or take.

My head was so full that I couldn't even give the fact that I _knew_ Sam Uley its proper due. I'd never met him before today, but I'd walked with him more than once in my dreams. Or rather, with a black wolf that possessed Sam's dark eyes and quiet air of command. The way we'd greeted one another had stolen away any doubts. I knew him, to pretend otherwise would be a lie unworthy of us both... and I just didn't feel like I had that in me.

So that left me here, somewhere on the La Push Indian Reservation, entangled with werewolves, endangered by vampires and irrevocably falling in love with Jacob Black. Now if we could just arrange for Santa Claus to double-park his sleigh next to the Xterra, I could call my life complete. Okay, maybe that was just the mild hysterics talking. Which was why I had the Xterra's back hatch open, so I could sit quietly on the tailgate and pull myself together.

Jake was still inside. I think he'd wanted to follow me when I excused myself, but something about the way Sam caught my eye when he asked Jake to stay told me he knew I was struggling. I didn't want to struggle, honestly. I wanted to sit beside Jake and smile and be the supportive soulmate he needed me to be. This weakness was annoying, but the human mind can only accept so many things at once, and I was pushing my limits.

The door to Emily Young's small house opened, and I knew without looking who it was. I had a smile for him when he found me, a smile that only slipped a little when he crouched down in front of me, looking into my face with his own beautiful, gentle smile that put my sad attempt to shame. "Are you okay?"

"Not really." Swallowing hard, I leaned forward and clasped my hands behind his neck, resting my forehead against his. He was so warm that it felt like sunlight on my face, like the glow of him would give me a suntan if I stayed put long enough. "But I'm a little better now."

"That's good to hear." He lightly slid his hands up my arms. "Whatever you need. If it's something I can do, or something I can give to you, just ask and it's yours." I could tell that he meant it, that he would stand behind that offer even if he didn't like the request. Well, maybe I didn't feel like being selfish. Maybe, just maybe, I was beginning to think that the only way forward out of this mess was together.

"Kiss me." A better smile, a real one, tugged at my lips, and I knew it was the right response, for both of us.

The request startled him for just a moment, but then he grinned. "Yes ma'am." Leaning in a little closer, he pressed a soft kiss to each corner of my mouth.

"That's not what I meant," I murmured.

"Be patient..." What came next was soft and slow; his lips moved along mine in a whisper, my breath catching in my throat as the tip of his tongue stroked along the curve of my bottom lip. "I'm just getting started."

"I don't want to be patient." I scooted forward that last little way so that I could wrap my legs around him, my hands tangling into his dark hair. "I can try to ignore it all I want, but it doesn't change the truth." I brushed my lips against his, then buried my face in the silky, dark hair by his ear, breathing in the spicy-wild scent of him. "You're the only thing that's real," I whispered.

A shiver went through him at my confession and he put his hands on the floorboards on either side of me, pushing forward so that my back was against the Xterra's seat. We found each other there, with lips parted and barriers down, the gentle teasing giving way to a deep and soulful sort of kissing. We tasted, explored, lips and teeth and tongues meshing together without inhibition. Communicating on that level where words became meaningless.

I harbored a few moments of serious thought about pulling him into the back of the Xterra and closing the hatch. But I realized that there was a bit too much of him to do that without me being squished... which would put a damper on the sexy. So instead we left off at breathless and hungry for more, gazing into one another's eyes as though we'd finally found a precious piece of an endless puzzle.

"Are your thoughts as filthy as mine?" I asked him softly, leaning my head against his.

He bit his lip, eyes closed. "If I say no, will you tell me all about your filthy thoughts?"

I chuckled, pressing a kiss to the tip of his nose. "No."

"Then..." He looked up at me and I shivered. "Am I thinking about how badly I want to be alone with you?" He nodded. "Yeah."

"Just alone?" I raised my eyebrows. "We're kind of alone right now."

"You know what I mean." The beginnings of a flush colored his coppery skin, causing my thoughts to take an even filthier turn. "Alone and naked..." he muttered.

"A naked poetry reading," I nodded sagely. "That could be fun, I suppose."

He growled, and his hands slid down my hips and firmly grabbed my butt. I admit it, I squeaked. "You _know_ what I mean." In a display of easy strength, he rose to his feet, forcing me to wrap my legs tightly around his waist, throwing my arms around his neck if I didn't want to fall.

"Bad puppy," I gasped. His arms tightened around me and we were kissing again. Kissing as he walked down the street like he was on his daily stroll. I think we made it about a hundred yards before we received a chorus of appreciative catcalls and whistles from the direction of Emily's front porch. Pulling back, I hid my face against his neck, my shoulders shaking with laughter.

"Alright you nosy assholes! Move along! Nothing to see here!" His attempts to discourage them only made them cheer louder. Finally he groaned and set me down, keeping an arm looped around my waist.

"That was fun," I giggled.

"Let's get out of here." He glared back over his shoulder, then looked down at me again. "Want to see my house, maybe meet the old man?"

"Wow..." I feigned surprise. "Taking me home to dad? You really are serious."

He cradled my face in his hands, giving me another of those smiles that warmed me to the tips of my toes. "You'd better believe I am." Then he kissed me again, and I think if he'd asked me to walk through fire with him, that I would have been right by his side.

It was a short walk to the Black house, not that I minded. We teased and laughed the entire way, and I felt more relaxed than I had in... well, longer than I could remember. Jake let himself in, keeping a hold on my hand as he stepped forward and called for his father. Billy Black was in the living room watching television, and when he looked up and saw the pair of us, he blinked at his son in confusion.

"Hey dad." Jake looked down at me, his eyes shining with emotion. "I have someone I'd like you to meet." I took a step forward, suddenly feeling a bit self-conscious that I was dressed so casually, my hair in a messy ponytail. "This is Elizabeth." He turned and met his father's gaze. "She's my mate."

I didn't know Jake's father well enough to name the many emotions that flitted across his face in the space of a moment. Shock, dawning realization, relief, perhaps a bit of sadness, and then a joy that made me let go of the breath I'd been holding. To be honest it hadn't occurred to me to wonder what Jake's parent would think of me before a few minutes ago, but I realized in those few minutes that his opinion had come to matter a great deal. "Welcome Elizabeth." He hesitated, and then a smile that reminded me of Jake's curved his lips. "Thank you for giving me my son back."

We sat with Billy for an hour or two, just talking. I learned more about Jake, his history and his family, in that time period than I had since I'd met him. Photos came out, and embarrassing stories were told, and that lovely blush kept coming back on my werewolf's dusky cheeks. For the first time, I felt like I had a stake in him as a person, that I knew him as more than the enigmatic man that had plucked me from the woods and branded his name on my heart.

"So where are your people from, Beth?" I nearly choked on the soda I'd been sipping, I'd really meant to be better prepared for that inevitable question, but somehow it always managed to take me off-guard. Swallowing hard, I noted that Jake was looking at me just as curiously as his father. I don't talk much about my family. We're just not... familial people.

"Oh... around." That wasn't going to do it, I could tell. "The colonel and his wife are stationed in Germany right now, I think." I'd have to check the postmark on my birthday card. "My grandparents live outside of Denver. I lived with them during high school and junior high. So I guess Denver's kind of home." Gram and Grandad had done most of the parenting once the colonel had remarried.

"Oh." They both looked at me like I was strange. I guess to someone with a close knit community like the reservation, that did sound strange. I'd never known anything different, so to me it was simply normal. I bit my lip and looked away, not really sure what to say on the subject beyond what I already had.

Jake seemed to sense I was drowning in the awkward and threw me a line. "Well, I think I'm going to show Beth the garage... maybe go down to the beach." He got to his feet, towering over us both.

"Alright then. It was a real pleasure, Beth." Smiling again, Billy clasped my hand. "I hope to see more of you."

"You will," Jake assured his father, then only allowed me time to make a hasty goodbye before shooing me out the door. "You're not much of a family person, then?" he asked once we were outside.

"That's one way to put it." I glanced at him as we walked towards a half-hidden outbuilding, then shrugged. "My father's career military. He's not exactly squishably soft." Jake snorted and shook his head. "Gram and Grandad did a pretty good job, I think. Then once I got to college, Kat and Josh became my family." He already knew what had happened to Josh. "Now it looks like I'm about to be adopted into a tribe of werewolves."

"About to be?" He grinned, opening the door to the 'garage' for me. It was more of a big shed, but it definitely served a garage-like purpose. Thus, garage.

"Go easy on me, I'm still adjusting." Inside was an elderly Volkswagen and a lovingly maintained vintage Harley along with a motley, but impressive, assortment of tools. "Wow. You work on these yourself?"

"Yeah, it's just me." Jake spoke with quiet pride, going over to run his hand down the Harley's gleaming flank. "Restored this baby from junk."

"Man... she's amazing." I didn't know bikes all that well, but I knew a pretty machine when I saw one. "Hmm..." I took both of his hands and turned them over, scrutinizing them carefully.

"What?" He chuckled, looking down at his hands and trying to see what I saw.

"Shhh... I'm reading your palm."

"Oh, sorry." He snickered.

"You're a man that likes to work with his hands." I traced the lines in his hand, making appropriately esoteric noises. "I see the opportunity to put those hands to good use in your future"

"Oh really?" He played along, resting back against the Harley's seat.

I pulled his arms around me and leaned into his chest. "Really." Standing on tiptoe, I captured his bottom lip between mine, sucking gently, only letting go to find my way inside his mouth with my tongue. Those big, deft hands did their work, caressing the length of my back to the curve of my butt as we kissed.

"This wasn't quite what I had in mind," he whispered, pulling back just far enough to speak.

"What did you have in mind?" I wasn't ready to let him escape yet, and I left a love-bite on his neck as punishment.

"Nngh, don't start that unless you're willing to keep going..." His arms tightened around me. "God you're distracting." He laughed. "Um, what I was trying to say was that I was hoping you'd let me show you the beach."

"Okay." I was game for that.

"On this." He patted the seat of the Harley, waggling his eyebrows. I couldn't help it, I laughed, reaching up to pet his eyebrows.

"One condition." I laughed again when he tilted his head quizzically. "Stop with the caterpillar mating dance on your forehead."

"_Hey..._"

"They're very cute caterpillars... Really."


	19. Chapter 19: Practice Makes Perfect

CHAPTER NOTE: Please note the change in rating for this chapter.

PART NINETEEN: Practice Makes Perfect

_Elizabeth POV_

The engine of the bike growled powerfully beneath us, a rolling thrum that started deep and low and climbed in intensity as we accelerated. I tightened my arms around Jake's waist and lifted my face to the air, eyes closed, as it washed over us. This must be what flying felt like, every fiber of my being set free by the sensation of racing the wind. I shivered and leaned my cheek against the warm strength of his back, watching the blue-gray sea as it swept past. The road had been left behind a while ago, the bike navigating the rocky beach paths with ease. Even had I known where we were going, it wouldn't have mattered. In that moment, if he'd asked me to go with him to the ends of the earth I'd have agreed.

The sea cliffs stretched on for miles, huge sea stacks looming like sentinels beyond the waves. We slowed, and I realized that we'd come into a sheltered cove, an arm of the cliff face sweeping out into the water to create a secluded haven. Jake stopped the motorcycle and let the engine idle. When he looked back over his shoulder at me, his smile made my heart do strange things in my chest. "Would you mind if we hung out here for a little while?"

I edged forward, kissing the back of his neck. "As long as you're here, I don't mind at all."

He cut the engine and stepped off, offering me his hand with a sketchy bow, dark eyes dancing as I laughed and placed my hand in his. Instead of letting go, he brought my hand to his lips, pressing a kiss to the back before turning it over to leave another in the center of my palm. I caressed his cheek with my fingertips, wondering what the chances were that I'd have two such men in my life that could make me feel as I did in that moment. Two such different men, and yet both strong and loving, challenging on every level... and all but impossible to resist. "What is it?" he murmured softly.

I shook my head, standing on tiptoe to press my lips softly to his. "Just wondering when I'm going to wake up."

"Never..." He held me there, deepening the kiss. "Not if I have anything to say about it."

We wandered down the beach together, hand in hand, pausing to explore a tide pool. I tickled a golden starfish and watched it flee under a rock, giggling as tiny fish came to nibble at my fingers. Jake coaxed me to the edge of the surf, and I tiptoed barefoot through the cold water, watching him wade out deeper as though the cold didn't touch him. I bent down to pick up a spiraled shell and ran a handful of rocky sand through my fingers. The sand here was different than even the Oregon beaches. More like a conglomerate of tiny river stones than the soft powder of more civilized places. The Olympic coast never let you forget that you had ventured into a wilderness with no inclination to be tame.

Calf-deep in the chilly water now, I watched a small crab scuttle by, a frond of seaweed clutched in its claws. Focused on what was going on by my feet, I forgot that my companion had a taste for mischief. Stalking his way toward me in the shallow water, he waited for a well-timed wave to ride in on, and threw his arms around my legs. With a squeak of alarm, arms flailing, I tumbled into him and the cold water, and was promptly soaked as a wave rolled over my head.

"Jacob Black, you're a dead man!" He was so impressed that he rolled around in the surf, laughing. Freezing my butt off, I scowled at him as the waves kept knocking me over when I tried to get up. Apparently I looked sufficiently miserable for him to take pity on.

"I'm sorry, baby," he was still chuckling as he dragged me into his arms. "You're just so cute when you squeak."

"The water is _cold_." And if he hadn't been so damned warm, I would have pushed him off. I gasped as he stood up with me in his arms. The wind plus my soaked clothes didn't do much to warm me. No, that was all about him, and I had a sneaking suspicion he'd planned it that way. I could feel the heat rising off his skin even through his wet shirt, it was scalding against the hand I had curled around the back of his neck.

"Better?" The look in his eyes then was more warming than anything.

"No," I said stubbornly. "I'm soaking wet and freezing cold." I meant to say more, but he stole the breath I'd intended for it. The contact made me acutely aware of the fact that there were two layers of wet cloth between us, and that I wanted badly to warm myself against his bare skin.

"What about now?" he breathed against my lips.

"A little better-" He cut me off, walking up the beach as we kissed. I was aware of little else but his lips on mine, his tongue stroking the inner curves of my mouth, until he ducked inside a cave nestled into the slope of the cliff wall. Pulling back, he set me on my feet. There was a fire ring in the center of the sandy floor, and a pile of driftwood against one wall, this place had obviously had tenants before. "What is this place?"

"Me, Quil and Embry used to come here all the time." Jake explained, snagging an armload of the driftwood. "It's a good place to camp when you want to be a ways from the folks."

"Is that what we're up to now?" I arched an eyebrow, watching him arrange the wood in preparation for making a fire. "Getting away from the folks?"

He looked up at me, the expression on his face a little shy. "That's one way to put it." Clearing his throat, he fussed with the wood a bit more. "I thought you might appreciate a chance to dry off and warm up a little."

Making a decision, I moved over to him. My hand rested on the top of his head where he knelt by the firewood and I stroked his hair. Still wet from the surf, it fell heavy and damp to his shoulders. "Yeah, I'd like that." I threaded my fingers through the glossy, dark strands that fell into his face and caressed his temple, then his cheek, sliding down the stubborn jut of his jaw before gently urging him to look up at me. "I'd like that very much."

Jake wrapped his arms around me, slipping his hands beneath the hem of my sodden t-shirt. I shivered as the heat of his palms pressed into the small of my back and chased away the chill. He nudged my shirt higher, pressing a warm, wet kiss to my bared stomach, his dark eyes avidly watching my face as my eyelashes fluttered. The shirt kept hitching its way upward, bringing with it the blessed warmth of his touch. My breath hissed through my teeth as he marked me with a love bite right above the navel, and my nails dug into his shoulder blades as he lingered.

"Are you going to warm me up or eat me for dinner?" I whispered hoarsely. Dark eyes lifted to my face, and the look in them made my heart race, my body all too aware of how close he was. Without answering, he rose to his feet, and I raised my arms so that he could tug off my shirt, leaving me in just my jeans and bra. His fingertips slid over damp lace hesitantly, unsure of where they were allowed to go. I lightly took hold of his wrists and guided his hands to cup my breasts, stepping into him.

The kiss we shared this time was more tentative, his confidence faltering as we took the first steps into unfamiliar territory. I laid my hands over his, prompting them to move, to explore, gasping into his mouth as his thumb brushed my nipple through the thin fabric. I shivered, but that had more to do with cold than with what we were doing, and he was aware enough to realize it. "God, I'm sorry," he breathed. "I got distracted. Hang on, I'll be right back." Tugging off his ice-cold shirt, he ducked out of the cave and left me blinking after him, curious as to what exactly had warranted the disruption.

He made it back in record time, toting two folded blankets and a lighter. Handing the blankets off to me, he concentrated on getting the fire going. I chose a likely place and spread the blankets out, making a relatively snug bed. Then I straightened, watching his back as he worked over the driftwood, building up a fire that should last us for a while. It gave me a moment to think, contemplating what I was about to do... and then I simply followed through. Unbuttoning my jeans, I pulled the zipper down and began wiggling out of the wet denim. I had just stepped out of them, smoothing my hands over my hips, when he turned back toward me.

We both went still. I ducked my head, looking down at myself. Somehow I'd had the presence of mind to match panties with bra this morning, both were dark blue lace, but that didn't help the fact that I could still feel his eyes on me. I bit my lip, the silence stretching on a little too long for comfort. "Are-" my voice faltered, and I realized that even though I'd done this before, I was nervous. I ran a hand through my damp curls, tugging the confining rubber band free, and swallowed hard. "Are you disappointed?"

He didn't answer, but I could feel the heat of his body as he approached, and then his arms were around me, lifting me off my feet as his mouth devoured mine. I have no other word for it, there was a hunger in him that immediately brought my own desires roaring to the forefront. He might be inexperienced in lovemaking, but my wolf was a natural when it came to kissing. His lips were scorching, sucking and teasing, his tongue fierce and soft as he thoroughly claimed my mouth. Years of mourning, of self-imposed denial were all washed away in an instant. There was only him, my Jacob, and I wanted him desperately.

If my mouth were hungry, my hands were bent for conquest, sweeping over the hard muscles of his stomach and the chiseled perfection of his chest. His hands were repeating what I'd taught him before, cupping the newfound curiousity of my breasts, maddeningly teasing my nipples through a barrier of lace. Then our kissing was disrupted by a fierce growl as he tugged in futility at my bra, fumbling in all the wrong places for the catch. I laughed, I couldn't help myself. Jake pulled back just far enough to glower, and I laughed harder.

"No, no, I'm sorry. Don't look at me that way," I protested breathlessly. "It's just..." I snickered as his look darkened. "Honestly, look." I turned around so that he could see clearly, and deftly unfastened the two hooks that held the bra band. "Just a little lesson for Advanced..." I trailed off as his fingertips pushed aside the bra to leave my back exposed, his thumbs applying firm but gentle pressure along my spine. "Undressing..." I rolled my neck, pulling my hair over my shoulder. "That feels amazing." He traced the outline of my tattoo, then lightly touched the half-healed wounds from the bear. His lips followed, exploring my shoulder blades and the nape of my neck. Nuzzling into the hollow where neck and spine joined, he bit down gently, making my breath into a hiss as he smoothed over the indentations of his teeth with slow strokes of his tongue.

"In case I wasn't clear," he whispered against my shoulder. "I'm not disappointed." He eased the straps of my bra off my shoulders. "At all." A light tug, and he guided the blue lace down my arms, letting it fall to the sand at our feet. Strong hands circled my waist, pulled me back against his chest. Bare skin to bare skin, the heat of him was like a banked fire, I closed my eyes for a long moment and just basked. Then I opened them again to watch his hands traveling up my body to close around my breasts, his coppery skin contrasted against my fair. My breath was uneven as he rolled them gently between his fingers, and as I leaned into him I became aware that I wasn't the only one affected. Proof of Jake's arousal pressed firmly into the small of my back, hard and wanting.

I turned in the circle of his arms, and it was hard not to be staggered by the sight of him there; shirtless, hair sleek, eyes burning like dark flame. I had to steady myself with a hand on his chest before slowly letting my free hand drift downward, caressing him through wet fabric. As my reward, his eyes went half-lidded, and he gripped my upper arms convulsively, remembering to ease up just shy of pain. The button of his jeans came undone, then the zipper, and I slid them down his muscular thighs, dropping into a crouch to tug them over his feet. It was impossible not to be aware of the position that put me in and that there were things I could do here... but not yet. Even so, I lightly rubbed my cheek where the fabric of his boxer shorts tented, a cat marking her territory, and he swore softly, a shudder going through him. I grinned and brushed a kiss across the tip of him before I slowly straightened, eyes dancing.

"You're evil," he whispered against my ear.

"Then we match." My hand slid up his neck and tangled in his hair to pull him down to me. I wanted to kiss him and badly, wanted to taste him, deep and strong like summer wine, and I was tired of waiting. But even as we kissed and his hands moved over me with greater confidence, his mouth discovering what worked and what didn't, my mind raced ahead those next few steps. He was eager and creative, but I was the one that knew what we were doing this time. I didn't have Josh's experience to fall back on.

"Jake..." I pulled back from his mouth, and he obligingly moved to my neck. Oh, that was _distracting_... "Jake... I have to talk to you."

"Mm, can it wait?" He nibbled my collarbone, his fingers toying with the waist of my panties.

"Not if you want those panties off," I said wryly. That got his attention. He drew back just far enough to meet my eyes, frowning slightly. "How many pornos have you watched?"

"What?" Almost immediately, he flushed, although he rolled his eyes and tried to play it off. "Beth, what kind of question is that?"

"A serious one." I kept my arms loosely around his waist, toying with the waist of _his_ underwear. Which also got his attention. "Basically I need you to forget them all." I took a deep breath, suddenly unable to meet his eyes. "The real thing may be a little awkward, maybe even a little strange the first time, but-" I found it hard to continue with his hand over my mouth.

"You always overthink things," he whispered. His fingers threaded through my hair, which was drying into loose waves. "I want to make love to you, Beth." The soft, sweet intensity of his words went through me like lightning. "I know I have a lot to learn... but they say that practice makes perfect."

"I just don't want you to be dis-"

"Stop that." The vehemence of his voice startled me and I blinked, taken aback. Sighing softly, he shook his head. "Just... come here." Moving away from me, he settled onto the bed I'd made for us from the blankets. The fire had taken away some of the chill, but it was still a little cooler than I'd like. Especially since I was still damp and wearing only my underwear. Still, I hesitated until he held out his hand to me.

We lay down together, the weak sunlight from the cave mouth eclipsed by heavy stormclouds. Firelight cast him in bronze shadows, a creature of forest and earth, with a breath of wind to move him and a gleam of starlight in his dark eyes. Mortal and fragile, I dared to embrace him, to taste his mouth and touch his body, to weave a gilded net of my soul to ensnare him to me.

"Show me how to touch you," he whispered, his hand on the curve of my hip. Taking a deep breath, I rested my hand over his again and tangled our fingers in the lace of my panties. He kissed me softly as together we pulled away that last barrier and I lay naked beside him. "Are you nervous?" He smiled as he spoke, a soft and beautiful smile.

"A little," I whispered back.

"Me too." He kissed his way down the slope of my jaw as I guided his hand between my thighs. I held my breath and let it out in a shaky gasp as he took what I showed him and applied it. My eyes were closed, but I could feel his gaze as he kissed the pulsepoint of my throat. I'd said he was creative, and he used that against me now. Nipping my neck as I stifled a cry against his chest, he stroked the same place over and over again until I was undone and clinging to him, gasping and shaky. "I love you," he breathed, but the energy between us had changed, both of us ready for something less civilized.

Still shaky, I guided him again, and his fingers slipped inside me, a feral light in his eyes as I pulled my hand away to tug down his boxers, curling my fingers around his length. They were still wet, and I smoothed that wetness over him, stroking down the shaft and back up in an echo of how he moved in me.

Abruptly, Jake reached his limit of teasing. He pulled free, wrapped an arm around my waist and rolled so that I was beneath him, his weight supported on his arms so he wouldn't crush me. We kissed, rough and wild, and I captured his bottom lip between my teeth, biting down just hard enough to make him growl. He slid between my thighs and I wrapped my legs around his waist, leaning up to whisper into his ear. "Slow at first. Okay?"

He nodded and made an effort to be gentle again as he kissed me. "Stop me if I hurt you. No matter what."

I could feel him then, pressed against me; like the rest of him it was warmer than normal, almost hot. I hid my face against his shoulder and concentrated on taking slow, deep breaths, relaxing as he moved his hips. We breathed together as the length of his erection slid smoothly into my embrace, like sword into sheath. His heart was racing, I could feel it thundering against my skin, but I felt strangely calm in the wake of my nerves and deeply in love with the man I was entwined with. But Jake held himself so tightly, with such restraint that I was afraid he might tear himself apart.

"Let go, my wolf," I breathed into his ear, wrapping my arms around him as he trembled. "Let go."

What passed between us then went beyond words, because there are no words to adequately describe the communion of souls who were born for one another. Sex seems a vulgar name, and making love merely trite. When we let go of who we were as individuals, and became who we could be together. There was no fear of hurt and no pain, only pure joy and delight in causing pleasure, in being close, along with a driving _need_ to push the limits of the physical.

Jake's rhythm was mine, and his pleasure was mine, too. Our lips spoke without words, but with tongues and teeth and hot, wet silence. Then he pulled away restlessly and whispered my name, stifling a moan against my neck as he moved faster. I lifted my hips, my fingernails biting lightly into the skin of his back, as a familiar pressure began to build at the base of my spine. His need became frantic, his kisses desperate, hands digging into the blankets and the sand beneath them. He was walking a fine edge of control, and I caressed his face to make him look at me. "Jake..." The feral light was back in his eyes, and I took a deep breath and called him back. "I love you. I love you, Jake."

Eyes wide, he moved inside me once and once again, and then he curled around my body with a hoarse cry, a tremor going through him that wracked us both. I heard my name, _Elizabeth_, wrenched from him like a prayer of supplication, and gave myself up to release, clinging to him with body and soul.


	20. Chapter 20: Sound and Fury

CHAPTER NOTE: Mature rating advisory still in effect for this chapter.

PART TWENTY: Sound and Fury

_Jacob POV_

Bella. There hadn't been room for her in my brain lately, and I supposed I ought to feel guilty for that. If I was honest with myself, I hadn't been a good friend to her for a long time; I'd been so caught up in trying to be something more that I forgot about the most important and precious parts of our relationship. Cullen was poison to her, I still believed that, but I hadn't been any better, and in every way that counted I'd failed her... Even now, she was in my thoughts only because memories of Bella were tied to these beaches and always would be. Good memories and bittersweet ones, and a few that seemed naive and shortsighted in retrospect.

'_I'll never see anyone else, Bella. I only see you_.' When I said those words, on a beach not very far from this one, I'd meant them with all my heart. At the time I'd been absolutely determined to _always _mean them. That was before I met Beth. Before I realized exactly what the word 'soulmate' meant, and what it was like to live it first-hand, and not just as a borrowed memory.

I owed Bella an apology. I still didn't want to see her marry the bloodsucker, but now I could say that with a clear conscience. Now I knew it was because I wanted what was best for _her_ and not because I wanted her for myself. No, what I wanted for myself had taken a much different shape.

Waist-deep in the water, I turned to look back at where Beth played in the shallows, unable to hide the fact that it was too cold for her taste. I grinned, watching her make strange faces as a wave splashed too high on her legs. At this rate, she was going to freeze. It really was best to jump in all at once and let your body adjust. Or... to get wet and cold and let someone else warm you up. Guess which one I was thinking...

Impervious to the cold, I dropped low in the water and stalked her. I let the swells inch me forward a little at a time so that my quarry remained ignorant of my intentions. In fact, she never suspected a thing until I threw my arms around her knees and yanked her legs right out from under her. The best part was the little squeak of alarm she made right as she realized that going down in the chilly water was a foregone conclusion. Most. Adorable. Noise. _Ever_. I made sure to stay with her as she tumbled, cushioning her fall; I wanted her wet, not hurt.

My evil plan went off without a hitch. Beth came up sputtering and cursing my name. I couldn't help it, I rolled around in the surf like a happy dog, laughing my ass off. She scowled, and I laughed harder. Might as well get my money's worth, I had a feeling I'd be paying for it later. Her scowl became a look of misery as a wave nearly knocked her flat, and I was ready to take pity on my reluctant mermaid. "I'm sorry, baby," I breathed warm breath against her neck as I dragged her into my arms. "You're just so cute when you squeak."

I could feel her shivering, her body temperature taking a plunge to match the water temp. Without hesitation, I picked her up and headed for dry land. She was still sulky, but apparently the heat of my body was more attractive than holding a grudge. The fact that I was every bit as wet as she was didn't stop her as she pressed into my chest, her hand tightening convulsively around the back of my neck. I nuzzled her temple and breathed deeply of her scent; sweet, clean florals mixed with the salt tang of the sea. "Better?"

She muttered a negative, but it was her body language that I listened to, the way her heart beat faster, the shiver that had nothing to do with being cold. My mouth covered hers and I swallowed down her breath. Warmed in my body, I breathed it back, feeding her that heat as I cradled her in my arms. "What about now?"

I think she tried to answer, but I had the answers I needed, and kissed her for myself this time, selfishly savoring the rush. I just barely held back a growl of satisfaction when she invited me to drink deep of her mouth, her tongue stroking along mine as I climbed the beach toward the cliff wall. I didn't want it to end, didn't want to let go, but I ducked inside the cave and reluctantly set her on her feet. The fire ring inside was still intact, and there was still a good pile of driftwood for making a fire..

"What is this place?" Beth turned in a slow circle as I bent to gather an armload of wood.

"Me, Quil and Embry used to come here all the time." We'd spent a lot of summer nights stalking the coast as kids, finding places like this. Places far from parental supervision. "It's a good place to camp when you want to be a ways from the folks."

"Is that what we're up to now?" It was hard to stay ahead of Beth, she had an uncanny way of getting straight to the heart of things. "Getting away from the folks?"

I hesitated, I was sure we both knew why we were here. But I found I couldn't quite come out and say it. How could I give voice to the desire that had my heart pounding and my body breaking out in a sweat? "That's one way to put it." The words were weak, and I had a hard time meeting her eyes. I drew breath to just say it... and chickened out royally. "I thought you might appreciate a chance to dry off and warm up a little."

_Oh way to go, dumbass. That was smooth, real smooth. Nice and seductive._ I was right on the verge of beating my wooden head against the cave wall when I heard her light footsteps on the sand. "Yeah, I'd like that," she said quietly. I took the coward's way out and refused to meet her eyes, but I could smell her as she stopped beside me. I could sense her there too, her presence a beautiful electricity that crawled along my skin with sweet fire. Beth's hand touched my head, stroking my damp hair, and then she touched my face in a lingering caress before gently urging me to look up. Fair skin like porcelain was dusted with a gentle flush, her lashes dropped low to shadow the clear, blue depths of her eyes "I'd like that very much."

How could I not worship this woman? Live for her, die for her, follow her on hands and knees if that were her whim, I'd do that and more. Still kneeling on the sand, I turned and wrapped my arms around her waist. Hungry for her, my hands pushed up her shirt, savoring the touch of her bare skin as I covered her stomach in kisses. I bit down gently over her navel, and stifled a groan as her fingernails bit into my back. She asked me then if I was trying to warm her up or eat her. I didn't answer, words seemed a waste of breath compared to action; my hands skimming over her skin, I rose to my feet and pulled her shirt off over her head.

I had every intention of being smooth, passionate, but this was the first time I'd ever looked a bra in the eye. It was a daunting experience. When I faltered, she saved me, and as I kissed her, she pressed my hands to her breasts, boldly giving me the invitation I longed for. It was still far from smooth, nervous and ignorant were better descriptions, but the desire to continue was cut short when I realized she really was shivering now, and not because of my impressive skills as a lover. No, it was because I'd left the lighter and the blankets in the bike's saddlebags. Brilliant. "God, I'm sorry," I rubbed her arms, cursing myself silently. "I got distracted. Hang on, I'll be right back."

It was easier to breathe outside, because every breath was not filled with her. Being clear-headed was nice, but almost immediately I wanted to be drunk again. She took the blankets when I came back, spreading them on the sandy floor of the cave as I started the fire. I heard the rustle of fabric and tried to imagine what she was doing, and the unmistakable sound of the zipper sent my filthy imagination into overdrive. It was a test of will not to turn and see what she was up to. I forced myself to suffer until the rustling stopped, and only then did I dare to turn around.

I had never seen her naked before. We'd come close that night at the motel, but this was even closer. Both her bra and panties were dark blue, standing out like exclamation points against her pale skin. The panties rode low on her hips, showing just enough to whet my appetite. The bra… needed to go. It was pretty, but I wanted those lovely breasts for myself without a chaperone. I literally couldn't stop looking; there was so much to see, so much to memorize, to etch onto the inside of my eyelids so that I could admire her even asleep. The only thing with a chance in hell of interrupting was the need to touch her, to add that to my memories. A hundred years from now, I wanted to remember with absolute clarity how beautiful she was in that moment.

"Are-are you disappointed?" I blinked, unable to catch her downcast eyes. _Of all the- _Disappointed? I shook my head, and realized again that words didn't belong here. Without an ounce of hesitation, I went to her, grabbing her up in my arms. It would never be enough to say how I felt, but I figured if I started now, then hopefully by the end of forever I might be able to show her. My hunger, my need, I poured into that kiss, tasting her lips and her mouth, waging war against her insecurities until I felt the tide turn. Reservations gone, she threw herself into our embrace, stoking the fire between us with a joyful enthusiasm.

I felt on top of the world, on top of my game, like nothing would stand between me and what I wanted. My nemesis, as it turned out, was made of blue lace and was sadistically determined not to come off. I knew the damned thing had to unfasten somewhere, but the logic of how was becoming more puzzling by the moment. I broke off the kissing with a furious growl, eyebrows knitting together as I fumbled with it.

Then she _laughed_. I lifted my head and glared at her, which had her hurrying to apologize… while _still laughing_. A lesser man might have pouted. I just kept glaring. "Honestly, look." She turned in my arms so that her back was to me, and I watched in silence as she unfastened her bra with ease. My eyes narrowed. "Just a little lesson for Advanced…" Impatient, I brushed aside the lace, laying my hands on her bare skin as I asserted my claim on the flesh the pesky bit of lingerie had tried to keep from me. With my thumbs I walked up her spine, rubbing away the tension that collected in the muscles of her back. A task with its own rewards, I could feel it as the knots untied and she relaxed. "Undressing…" Beth rolled her neck, a shiver going through her. "That feels amazing."

My hands splayed across her shoulders, touching as much skin as they could. I narrowed my focus to the crisp black tattoo that marked one shoulder blade, reliving the irony of the first time I'd laid eyes on it. The wolf, the letters, it could be for us as much as for Beth and her dead fiancé. Jake and Beth, 4-ever? I liked the sound of that. How different might events have been, if she were still with him? Never venturing out of Corvallis or visiting remote parts of Washington. I owed him a debt, for loving her, and for ultimately allowing her to come to me. _Thank you, Josh. Thank you for giving me this amazing woman. I am forever in your debt._ Leaning down, I brushed my lips across the design, sealing the promise of it with a kiss.

I kissed my way up the column of her spine, smoothing aside her damp curls to expose the nape of her neck. Her scent was strong here, sweet and intoxicating, feminine but with a note of something less civilized, a musky, earthy scent that made me want to act like a caveman. I breathed it in, nuzzling before closing my teeth over her soft skin, biting gently. "In case I wasn't clear," I whispered against her neck, "I'm not disappointed." The bra made its last stand, and I sent it fleeing down her slender arms to crumple on the cave floor in defeat. "At all."

Her skin was cool to the touch when I pulled her back against my chest, not bloodsucker cold, but in definite need of warming. I spread my hands across her flat stomach and slid them around the curve of her hips, the warmth spreading with each touch. My lips nuzzled into her hair, and I took another deep breath on her scent. I was hard, there was no way not to be. Not with her bare skin against mine and the smell of sex clinging to her like sweet perfume. I slid my palms up her torso and pressed the flat of them against the swell of her nipples as my hands curled around her breasts, my heart racing as she leaned back into me. Breathing out in a low whistle, I rubbed myself lightly against her back, tracing spirals around her nipples as I fought the desire to be quick and rough instead of taking my time. I wanted her so badly, it was all but impossible to be patient.

Apparently I'd gotten her attention. Beth turned around, looking up at me with this look that somehow managed to be sweet and seductive all at once. I swear to god, that expression and a schoolgirl uniform and I'd be changing my boxers. She held my eyes with this sexy, kittenish smile, and her hand travelled due south. Even through wet denim, when she first touched my dick, it was impossible to hold back the tumble of filthy thoughts that just got worse with every teasing stroke. I closed my eyes, but that only made the scent of her more intense. Reaching out, I firmly grasped her upper arms, but I honestly couldn't tell you if I meant to stop her or drag her to the ground. Check that, wanting her to stop was the last thing on my mind.

Ultimately what distracted me was imagining that prissy, twitchy, son of bitch Cullen having to listen in on my thoughts. Oh, what I wouldn't give to have him in range, especially if he was half as frustrated over Bella as I'd been. Wouldn't that get his shorts in a knot? Beth's hand on my zipper distracted me again; fortunate, because I had no doubt that she would kick my ass if she had any idea of what was on my mind. But what I realized as I watched her sink to her knees at my feet was that I didn't want to share this with anyone, not even in my thoughts. Not this moment, not this woman, none of it.

She pulled off my jeans, her hands moving lightly over my thighs as she gazed thoughtfully at the tent my dick had pitched in my boxers. I had no idea what she was thinking, no clue what she was going to do, and I was having trouble with the waiting part. There was a little fear, of course. She'd been with Josh for a while, what if I didn't measure up? Was she comparing me to him right now? It was on the tip of my tongue to ask when she leaned forward, rubbing her smooth cheek against the head of my dick where it jutted out through the cloth. Rubbed and breathed her warm breath on it while I swore vehemently in Quileute and shuddered with acute pleasure. _Take them off, baby… Take them off and I'm all yours_.

That would have been too easy, of course. Grinning like a Cheshire cat, she pressed a soft kiss to the tip, and then rose gracefully to her feet, her eyes wicked. Aching with need, I leaned my head against hers, taking a deep breath before I could speak. "You're evil," I whispered.

"Then we match." God I love this woman. She reached for me, and caught me, tangled her fingers into my hair as she brought our mouths together. I was getting my rhythm now, trying things that I'd only ever fantasized about, learning what worked and what didn't. How to stroke my tongue against hers, or make her gasp with a flick of teeth; kissing her hard when she shivered as I rolled her nipples between my fingertips. I'd slid a hand down her back, teasing with the lace of her panties, when she pulled away. Not one to be deterred, I dropped my head so that I could kiss her throat, alternating between teeth and tongue.

"Jake…I have to talk to you," she insisted, her voice sounding strained. I tried a bit more teeth and gooseflesh cropped up along her collarbone.

"Mm, can it wait?" I left a lovebite on the angular line where the bone ran beneath the skin. Pleased with the faint imprint, I left another, my fingers dipping inside of her panties.

"Not if you want those panties off." I paused, she sounded serious. That meant I ought to at least try and listen. I met her eyes and frowned, making it clear that I wasn't fond of this new development. She scrutinized my face, looking for something, anxious and concerned. "How many pornos have you watched?" she asked solemnly.

What. The. Hell?? Okay, someone was going to die a brutal, painful death. You don't blab about the Pack Porno Collection to another man's girlfriend. It's just _not done_. "What?" I tried to play it casual, although the blush needed no pretending. "Beth, what kind of question is that?"

"A serious one." I almost stepped away from her then. Almost. But she had her arms around my waist, and dammit she was doing the same thing to my boxers that I'd been doing with her panties, and no man of sound mind would walk away from that. "Basically," she continued thoughtfully, "I need you to forget them all." She took a deep breath, her eyes sliding away from mine, and now _she_ was blushing. "The real thing may be a little awkward, maybe even a little strange the first time, but-" Okay, I'd heard enough. I gently put my hand over her mouth, and practically against my will, a smile curved my lips.

"You always over-think things," I whispered to her. And then, in a moment of perfect insight, I fell back on simple honesty. "I want to make love to you, Beth." The shiver that went through her then told me I'd made the right choice. "I know I have a lot to learn… but they say that practice makes perfect." I had every intention of practicing, practicing, practicing, and then maybe practicing some more. Taking my time, taking the greatest of care, to make my Elizabeth realize just what I meant when I said that I loved her.

"I just don't want you to be dis-"

"Stop that," I said a bit more harshly than I'd intended; harsh enough to make her flinch. I sighed, shaking my head. What a silly, beautiful, wonderful creature I'd captured; still not resigned to being caught, still wild enough to flutter her wings nervously whenever I opened my hands. "Just…come here." I went to the blankets and knelt down on them, waiting for her to join me. She hesitated, and I knew she would, but she was too cold-natured for it to last. As soon as I held out my hand, she came to me.

I lay on my side with her between me and the fire. Clad only in the thin lace of her panties, her hair was a red-gold halo in the shifting light, her eyes shadowed sapphires that watched my every move. More human, more beautiful, than any woman I had ever seen, warmth and light seemed to shine from her, powered by the strength of the lovely soul that was bound forever with mine.

Resting my hand on the curve of her hip, I kissed her neck, then moved to whisper in her ear. "Show me how to touch you." She nodded slightly and lay her hand over mine, twining our fingers together and beneath the waist of her panties. I kissed her as we pulled them down and off, and then she was naked. Nervous anticipation thrummed through my body, but I was going to do this right the first time. "Are you nervous?"

She hesitated. "A little."

"Me too." I kissed her softly again, wandering from her lips to her cheek, to the slope of her jaw, mirroring the movement of our hands between her legs. God, she was so soft, almost hot compared to the rest of her, slick and slippery as I eased my fingers between her lips. I paused there, letting her take the lead, a fascinated pupil as she placed my fingertips. Although it wasn't hard to figure out what to do, she was too responsive for me to miss it. Her legs spread a little wider, eyes closed, her hips making small, involuntary movements as I experimented. I watched her intently, committing it all to memory as I kissed the pulsepoint of her throat to taste the beat of her racing heart. She clung to me and quieted a cry against my chest, but I refused to let her escape my touch, not when I could feel the tension now, building inside of her. I wanted badly to bring her to that breaking point. All at once, her body went completely tense, then she gasped and made a choked sob, spasming as orgasm rolled through her. I held onto her tightly, and when I finally was able to catch her eyes, I said the words that were foremost in my mind. "I love you."

Still trembling, she reached for me, kissed me, and although there was tenderness to that kiss, we both knew that we were only just getting started. I felt her hand close over mine again, guiding me until my fingers slipped inside her. The puzzle pieces fit together, and I knew what to do. She pulled her hand away, but only far enough to pull my boxers down, her fingers closing around the shaft of my dick. There are no words to describe what it felt like, amazing just didn't seem like enough. But it was still too much like teasing, I was at my limit, and I knew it.

I rolled so that she was beneath me, supporting myself above her. The kiss we shared then was unlike any of the others, rough and wild, full of furious need and desire. She bit me, her sharp little teeth closing on my bottom lip, and I growled in response. Not an angry growl, but a wolf's anticipation for finally joining with his mate. I settled into the cradle of her thighs, and she wrapped her legs around me. "Slow at first, okay?" she whispered into my ear.

I nodded, taking a deep breath to calm myself as I leaned down to kiss her. Reminding us both of why we were really here, of the tenderness, of the love between us. No desire would overshadow that, I wouldn't allow it. "Stop me if I hurt you." And I realized then that it was my worst fear. To cause her pain in the pursuit of my own pleasure. "No matter what."

Restraint became an uphill battle, it was an effort not to tremble as I caged up all that energy that I didn't dare let go of. Sweet agony was piercing physically into the hidden depths of her, sliding into her arms and into her body, and being held there. The sensation was unbelievable... and then I moved. Slowly out, and then back in, listening to the hoarse catch of her breath, the pounding of her heart, although mine beat the faster. Slow and slow and controlled, holding myself so tightly that the sweat dripped from forehead to fall like rain on her breasts. She held me then, stroking back my hair, wiping away the sweat. "Let go, my wolf," she whispered, my fierce and beautiful Beth. "Let go."

I was helpless to deny her, not when her request was what I wanted, too. I... can't describe it. Making love to her, it was more than I ever could have anticipated. Not even experiencing it through the pack mind had prepared me. Oh, it was hot and sweaty and physical, I'm sure I could put something appropriately pornographic into words, but that wouldn't hold a fraction of what really happened between us. If I loved her before, then I don't know what to call the emotion that I felt then. It was the same, but deeper, more intense, it bound me to her in ways that I was only beginning to discover... and I welcomed it.

My limit was in sight. This first, amazing time I had little stamina to speak of. Plunging in and out, her body was wrapped around mine, her nails tracing maps to ecstasy on my back that would linger for days. I didn't care, if anything the pain made the pleasure even sweeter. I knew I was on the edge of frantic, of losing any sort of rhythm in an all-out need to be as deep and completely inside her as I could get. Then, as always, she was there. Her hands on my fevered skin, her soft voice calling my name. "Jake..." And then she said the words I'd been waiting for since the moment we met. "I love you. I love you, Jake."

Her confession pushed me over the edge and I curled myself around her with a hoarse shout, calling out her name with the last of my breath. My hips moved convulsively as I came, and I rocked gently against her until it was over, whispering her name over and over against her sweat-damp skin.

When my breathing slowed and my heartrate resumed a normal rhythm, I pulled away from her, rolling to the side. My mind was blown, I could admit that. I felt sleepy and satisfied and highly tempted to pull her against me for a power nap.

"So..." Uhoh, there went my nap. I propped an arm behind my head, sliding the other around her as she curled against me. "Was it how you imagined?" Oh good, that was an easy one.

"No." I chuckled at the worried frown she gave me. "It was better."

Beth pulled herself up so she was half laying across my chest and glared down at me. "You know what? You're a brat."

I darted my head up to lick her nose. "But you love me, right?"

"No."

I pouted. "You said you did."

She made a show of examining her fingernails. "I was lying."

"No you were not. Now who's lying?" I narrowed my eyes at her menacingly.

"Say what you will." She arched an eyebrow. "You have no proof."

"Fine." I sighed. "I suppose we'll just have to recreate the scene of the crime."

"Did Quil teach you that line? Because that is _so_ cheesy."

"Hey! I thought it was pretty good..."

"Just shut up and kiss me, you dork."

"Yes ma'am." Yeah, no nap for me. Heh heh.


	21. Chapter 21: Storm Warning

PART TWENTY-ONE: Storm Warning

_Elizabeth POV _

The surroundings should have been familiar by now; the ancient, rain-soaked forest, oppressive walls of green that seemed to go straight up for miles, underscored by the whisper and groan of trees that measured their age in centuries. Underfoot, the ground was an earthtone carpet of leaves and pine needles deep enough to hush even human footsteps. It was familiar... but somehow sinister, threatening. I couldn't quite put my finger on it, but the sense of wrongness increased as I walked. There was no sunlight here, only a subtle phosphorescence just bright enough to see by. Emanating from all directions, it was accompanied by a still, unnatural quiet, as though even the trees were holding their breath

The silence was shattered by an angry snarl. I twisted, looking for the source, but found nothing. The snarl came again, intensely aggressive and increasing in volume. Panicked, I cast around for some sign of where it came from. Nothing. Like an unseen hand brushed against my spine, the hair stood up on the back of my neck and I slowly turned back the way I'd come. An ugly tableau unfolded where before there had been only empty woods. Figures in dark cloaks encircled a huge, furry shape. As I watched, the shape moved, staggering heavily as though it were injured. In one horrified instant I realized it was one of my wolves.

The strange light made it hard to distinguish colors. The size seemed too small for the wolf's coat to be red or black, but I didn't dare attract the attention of the cloaked figures by moving closer. As I stood there, frozen with fear, one of them stepped away from the others. This one was noticeably shorter; a child's build hiding beneath the cloak. The wolf's snarl took another step up in volume, a frantic warning for the cloaked figure to stay away. The figure lifted a hand, and the sound the wolf made then would haunt me. It was a cry of pure agony, torn from a throat that remembered human speech but could not speak it.

I think I would have done anything to stop that sound, including run right into the danger. My body tensed to do just that, but I felt a chill behind me, unlike anything I've ever felt before. An arm like a band of iron went around my waist, clamping down my arms, and a hand like ice wrenched my head to one side. "Spying isn't very nice," a deep voice murmured, amused. There was no time to struggle, no chance to so much as scream before razor-sharp teeth ripped open my throat.

"Beth?" Jake's voice broke in on the horror of my agonizing death. I heard him, but I didn't know how to answer. I longed to, desperately wanted to tell him to run, to get away before whatever was killing me got him, too. "Beth, wake up, baby..." His voice was more urgent now, and I struggled, trying to make my torn throat form the words. All I could hear was an awful rattle, a sound that a living person should never have to hear their body make. "Beth!"

The transition from nightmare to waking was so sudden that it left me gasping. Gasping and shivering as though I'd been plunged into ice water. I wrenched my eyes open, staring up into Jake's terrified face, focusing on him for several heartbeats as I tried to grasp what was wrong with me. I was shivering uncontrollably, my teeth chattering even though I was under a blanket. "What... what happened?"

"You were having a nightmare. I couldn't wake you up." His voice was strained, and I could faintly hear a growl rumbling in his chest. He was searching for something to protect me from, something he could fight, but there was nothing here but the two of us. Making a decision, Jake wrapped his arms around me and rolled onto his back. We were both still naked, and his bare skin warmed me as nothing else could have as I sprawled across his chest. Concentrated on just breathing, I lay quiet as he tucked the blanket around me again, closing my eyes when his hands stroked my face. "You scared me," he whispered.

"I didn't mean to." How strange it was, to wake up feeling exhausted. The shivering had stopped, but I had no will to do anything but lay there, surrounded by the warm strength of his arms and breathing in the comfort of his scent.

"Are you alright?" There was uncertainty in his voice, brought about, I'm sure, by my strange behavior.

"Yeah, I think so." With an effort, I lifted my head, looking down at him. "It was just... a really strange dream."

"Strange?" He was frowning at me. "Beth... you were screaming." I froze, remembering the sound of air rattling in my torn throat. Abruptly, Jake sat up, shifting me in his arms until he had me cradled across his lap, wrapped in the blanket. "It's okay," he murmured against my temple. "It's okay honey, you're safe now. Shhh." I couldn't seem to get enough air, and I tried to push away from him, gasping, until I realized that I was hyperventilating. "That's right, slow down a little. Deep breaths." He nursed me through my panic until I was slumped against him again, feeling more like a ragdoll than a human.

"I'm sorry." My voice was barely more than a whisper, and a hoarse one at that.

"For what? Sorry for having a bad dream? Sorry for needing comfort?" There was more love in those soft questions than I could ever imagine deserving. It was humbling, and so fiercely comforting that I didn't have words for it. "You don't need to apologize." He pressed his lips to my forehead. "But if you want to tell me about it, I'll listen."

I hesitated. Did I want to tell him? I wasn't sure. Chewing my lip, I thought it over, feeling his gaze on me. "I was in the woods," I said quietly. "There were--" I stopped, I couldn't bring myself to call them people. What were they? "There was something there. Several somethings." A shudder went through me and his arms tightened their grip. "They were hurting a wolf." Hot breath hissed out past my ear, and again a rumble stirred in his chest. "In my dreams, sometimes I'm not just watching things. Sometimes I'm there. It was like that... and all I wanted to do was stop them. I wanted to stop the wolf from crying..."

"Shhh... It's okay Beth, you don't have to keep going if you don't want to." I realized I was shaking again as he rocked me, his lips against my ear murmuring soothing nonsense. "You're safe. I will never let anyone touch you."

"Th-that wasn't the w-worst part." My voice was shaking so hard now that I stumbled over my words.

"Tell me." In that moment, my wolf curled himself around me, his protection a tangible thing. Nothing, not in reality, not in a dream, would get past my protector. I knew that suddenly and swiftly to the depth of my bones, and that was what allowed me to tell him.

"One of _them _was behind me." I hid my face against his neck, but I continued. "It spoke to me, and then it bit me."

A tremor went through him, and his voice went deadly quiet. "Bit you?"

I nodded. "It... It r-rip--"

"Ripped your throat out." The words were deceptively soft, but I could hear the hatred in them. Hatred and disgust, as though even the words were distasteful. Anxiously I raised my head and found him looking at me, his dark eyes smoldering with emotions I couldn't name. Without warning, he leaned down and kissed me. Gentle at first, but the ferocity in him came unleashed as we lingered together. He kissed me with possession, with protectiveness, with fierce tenderness and the kind of love that most people were never lucky enough to find. For a moment, I thought we were bound down the road that we had already taken twice today, and in my state I think I might have welcomed it. But no, he pulled away at last, leaning his forehead against mine. "I swear to you," he said in hushed growl, "no bloodsucker will ever get near you."

"Bloodsucker." The chill was back, raking icy fingers down my spine. "You mean vampires." I searched his face. "Are you saying those things in my dream were vampires?" That didn't seem possible. They weren't like any vampires I'd ever imagined, bearing little resemblance to the creatures of fiction and television. No, that was okay. It was just a dream, so it didn't matter anyway. Just a dream.

"Yeah, vampires." One of the shudders that I'd come to realize meant his control was slipping went through him.

"It was just a nightmare, Jake," I whispered, stroking my hand down his cheek. "The past few days... I'm sure it was just the stress."

"Maybe." He didn't sound convinced. "Maybe not. The bloodsuckers have powers that... sometimes we don't know about. I wouldn't put it past one of them to attack you in your dreams."

"That's impossible." My eyes were wide with shock, but he just shook his head grimly.

"So are werewolves, technically." Realizing that he'd upset me, he hugged me close again, nuzzling my hair. "I'm sure you're right, that it's just a nightmare. But I'm not willing to take chances where you're concerned." He sighed, a wistful smile tugging at his lips. "My head says we need to head back, that I should check in with Sam and get you someplace safe." Kissing my forehead, he chuckled. "My heart and my body aren't quite ready to give you back to the real world yet."

"There will be more time for us later," I promised. "For now... let's make sure everything is alright." Maybe if I could confirm my nightmare as needless fear, I'd be able to shake off the anxiety that still lingered. He nodded.

"You're right." Another sigh, and he gently disentangled himself from me and rose to his feet. I took a moment to simply appreciate the sight of him, gorgeous and naked, the firelight casting his muscular physique into sharp relief. He snickered as he caught me staring and struck a pose. "See something you like, Miss?"

"Mmm." I perked my eyebrows, not bothering to hide the fact that I found him incredibly attractive, irresistibly so. "Quite a lot, actually." Jake arched an eyebrow back at me, a challenge to come and get it if I liked it so much. Biting my lip, I caught sight of my MIA underwear and used that as a welcome distraction from the idea of doing just that. Time near the fire had taken out most of the wet, but they were still unpleasant against my skin. So I decided to forgo the bra for now, pulling my shirt over my head before tackling my damp jeans. Jake was doing the same, and by the time I was adequately dressed, he was putting out the fire and folding the blankets.

What we discovered as we got ready to leave the small cave was that the intimacy lingered, along with the ability to touch easily and smile knowingly. We knew what it felt like to be together, to have the barriers completely gone, and it redefined how we related. Even with the encroaching unease of my dream, I still couldn't help but savor that feeling.

It was nearly evening when we stepped out onto the beach, walking hand and hand to where the Harley waited. Stowing the gear in the saddlebags, Jake threw a long leg over the bike and took my hand, pulling me up behind him. The engine came to life with a throaty roar, and with a last look for memory's sake, we left our quiet sanctuary behind us.

I had no idea how true that would be.

Jake took us directly to Emily's house instead of dropping the bike at his own. The Xterra was still parked out front, its rear hatch open. As Jake maneuvered the bike onto a clear patch of gravel, Kat popped up off the tailgate and headed toward us. I bit my lip, bracing myself for her anger as the Harley went silent. I'd pretty much abandoned her earlier; in her place I would have been furious. Holding onto Jake's elbow, I stepped down off the motorcycle and turned to face her. Instead of blasting me, she threw her arms around me, hugging tightly.

"Oh Betts, I'm so glad you're alright!" She pulled back, looking up into my face. "Where have you two been?" Eyeing first me, and then him, she arched an eyebrow. "Never mind, I think I know." The look I got then put me on notice that I'd have a report to make later. "I'm just glad you're back."

"Where's Embry? Did he just leave you here?" I glanced at Jake, his eyes were scanning the area intently, chin lifted as he interpreted what his nose was telling him. Even then, I knew he was listening carefully for what Kat had to say.

"No." She looked troubled. "He told me to stay put. Something strange happened about an hour ago. Embry and I were walking on the beach when Quil came and got us. Some more guys had shown up and there were a lot of whispers and weird looks." Frowning deeply, she folded her arms across her chest. "No one would _tell_ me anything, Betts, and damn Embry Call if he didn't say it was for my own good. I'm not stupid, I know something was wrong." Uhoh. Embry was in hot water, and the snicker from Jake told me he knew that, too. Not that they'd have a problem at all if they'd just let Kat in on the big secret.

Stupid werewolves. I was beginning to think I'd have to take _that_ matter into my own hands.

"So they left?" Kat nodded.

"The two girls, Emily and Kim? They're still inside, but all the rest took off." Abruptly Kat rounded on Jake. "What's going on? I can tell from your expression that you know."

Jake sighed, stepping off the bike. He threw a look my way, but if he was expecting my help in lying to Kat, he was out of luck. "I don't know," he said finally. "But I intend to find out." He paused for a moment, deep in thought, then turned back to me. "I'm sure Emily's got something dry you could borrow for now, babe. Go change before you get sick."

"You're going." It wasn't a question.

"Yeah. I have to figure out what's up." He snagged an arm around my waist, tugging me a short distance away from Kat. "Take Kat inside with you and stay there," he said quietly. "I'll be back as soon as I can. With any luck, it's just the Cullens rattling our chains again… but if it's not--"

"Stay inside," I repeated quietly. With my nightmare still fresh in my mind, I wasn't about to argue with him.

"Yeah." He leaned his forehead against mine. "Worst-case scenario, this house is top priority. The whole pack knows and understands that."

"Hey." Grabbing the front of his shirt, I tugged him down to me. "No worst-case scenarios. Got it?"

Wrapping his arms around me, he pressed his lips firmly to mine in a lingering kiss. "Got it," he whispered against my mouth. Reluctantly, he pulled away, ignoring the highly unamused look he got from Kat. "Stay inside," he told us both one more time, voice firm.

"We got it, hurry up and go so you can get back." He grinned as I made little shooing motions to send him on his way, and then loped around the back of Emily's house, disappearing.

"Where does he think he's going on foot?" Kat stepped up beside me. "And why do I think you have more answers than I do, Elizabeth?"

"I have a few more," I admitted reluctantly, inwardly relieved when she let me steer her toward the house.

"So… start sharing."

"It's not quite that simple." Eyes narrowed, she gave me a long look.

"We're best friends, Beth. We've been through hell together. It's exactly that simple." I chewed my lip. She had a point, I couldn't deny that. I also couldn't deny the fact that I didn't particularly agree with them keeping the information from her in the first place. Not if Embry was sleeping with her, for god's sake.

"Okay," I began as we reached the porch. "How much do you know about werewolves?"


	22. Chapter 22: Heavy In Your Arms

**Beginning of Dreamcatcher, Book 2**

_I was a heavy heart to carry_

_My feet dragged across the ground_

_And he took me to the river_

_Where he slowly let me drown_

-from Heavy in Your Arms by Florence + The Machine

Lorenzo Moretti was a dreamer. From the time he was old enough to truly enjoy it, he was obsessed with the cinema; with the process of crafting and creating film. As he grew into adulthood, he could think of nothing he would rather do with his life than to be involved with making movies. So one day, he scraped together his savings and set off for the golden shores of California with a dream and a suitcase-full of determination.

As often happens with hardworking but undistinguished artists, he found his niche not in a place of fame and glory, but in making low budget films and documentaries. The pay was adequate, and what the subject matter lacked in artistic merit was more than made up for by the simple fact that he was doing what he loved most. But in time, the scales began to tip against him, and instead of a bright-eyed enthusiast he became a cynical veteran. His films were noted most frequently for their mediocrity and a ruthless penchant for making them as cheaply as possible.

Thus it was not surprising to eventually find Lorenzo employed by the Nature and Wildlife channel, chasing the world, and the studio backlot, in search of mysterious creatures of all shapes and sizes. His documentaries filled the late-night hours, drawing in the nightowls who cared less about accuracy in favor of being entertained by something other than a Golden Girls re-run. There he languished for a few years, building a small cult following and lining his pockets with enough money to fund a visit to mother Italy.

When the day finally came, he set off with a tourist's ambitions and itinerary; and thought satisfying, the trip was uneventful until the final night. It was then that Lorenzo played into the hands of Fortune's most devious handmaidens: Wine, Women and Money. One led to the other, who then relieved him of all sense of temperance when it came to the third. Then, as is her wont, Fortune changed all the rules.

Lorenzo Moretti nearly met his death that night, but instead made a deal with the devil. Money was no object, and all the world would be his oyster if only he would do this one thing... Go to Washington, find ancient wolves, and become the fulcrum of a devious, intricately constructed trap.

Hastily made plans came together better than anticipated, and with the devil's own luck on his side, he brought his crew into the rain-soaked wilds of the Olympic Peninsula. Little did he know that less than a day after they arrived in Forks, Washington, it was not they who found the wolves... but the wolves who found them. Like all pawns, he was unaware of the many and complex moves being played out all around him, until the moment when crushing fingers plucked him carelessly from the board.

Left kneeling in blood-soaked dirt, before a demon with the angelic face of a child, Lorenzo Moretti reflected back on his life and found it wanting. So many tasks left undone, so many paths not taken. He would beg God for mercy in these final moments, if only he could think of something notable to offer as reason that he should live.

"You have done well," a sweet voice told him softly. "Allow me to grant you a reward..." Cold fingers lifted his chin, and the last thing Lorenzo Moretti saw was a gash of sky through the treetops, gleaming bright like the movies of his childhood on a beautiful, silver screen.

* * *

_Kat POV_

It is my belief that faith is not a debt. It is owed to no one. There is no celestial accountant standing watch over the balance books, carefully notating every act of faith or piety. That would be far too simple, too cheap. Faith is a sacrifice, a gift that exacts the highest cost from the giver. To have faith in someone is to profess that your belief in them is greater than your fear. Faith is standing in the face of Fate and defying its whims, because love and life are stronger.

Religion is my vocation, my hobby, the study of the truth as told by a thousand voices. Faith on the other hand, is _my _truth, and I have never needed it more in my life.

My thoughts tried to draw more tears from me, but the well was dry. Laughing softly, I rubbed at my aching eyes, biting my lip as I eased the tension in my shoulders. With a soft sigh, I leaned into the bed, eyes drifting to the monitor against the wall. The beeps were too slow to count the moments, the hiss of the respirator a rasping descant to its tuneless song, but I welcomed every note.

"You're not allowed to leave me alone in Crazyville." I closed my hand around hers, and miraculously the well brimmed once more with tears. "You dragged me into this mess, and I hold you personally responsible for getting me out of it." Clasping her cool hand between both of mine, I brought it to my lips; breathing warmth and life into it, calling her soul back into her body with every fiber of my being. "Keep fighting, Beth. Please."

The door opened and brought with it a fresh gust of sterilized air. I could hear no footsteps as the new arrival approached the bed, a detail which took out a lot of the guesswork. "Tell me you have some news."

"Nothing yet." Sam Uley's voice was soft and grave, carrying with it a sadness that spoke for his entire pack. "Any change?"

I shook my head, pressing a soft kiss to Beth's hand before I turned to face him. "No." Running a hand through my hair, I tried not to think about how tired I was, but I could see from Sam's face that the feeling was mutual. "She's stable, I suppose that's the best we can hope for at this point." Taking a deep breath, I deliberately reminded myself that the world beyond this room and the intensive care ward was still marching onward, and no amount of wishful thinking would make it otherwise. "How is Emily?" I was rewarded when a little of the grave concern in Sam's face eased, a wan smile tugging his lips.

"She doesn't like the crutches, or the fact that I won't let her out of the house..." He closed his eyes, and I could read the conflict in his expression, the selfish relief that warred with the mountain of concern weighing down his broad shoulders. "She's good." Not for the first time, I was both vexed and grateful at the way adversity overcomes obstacles, creating intimacy between people who had no right to be friends.

"And Paul?" Sam's anger was swift, fierce and admirably controlled. He didn't even tremble as the other boys were prone to do when their control slipped. One moment the anger was there, and the next it was ashes. Impressive.

"He's adjusting. The doctor was right, we were able to stop the spread, but I'm not sure he'll ever thank us for it." The look in his eyes told me that Sam wasn't sure he'd be grateful in his place.

"Would he prefer to be dead? Or worse?" My anger surprised me, maybe it was too much time in waiting rooms and not enough sleep. "At least he's here! He'll walk again, gods willing he may even run again, isn't that preferable to the alternative?" I bit off the last words and deliberately made myself sit back, fighting for calm even as the constant beep of the monitors became less a reassurance and more an incessant, urgent reminder. _Don't forget, don't forget... _ Sam shifted his weight, and some of the distance between us returned. While completely natural between two people who can't know each other well enough to go without, it didn't make coping with my reality any easier. Suddenly exhausted and grumpy beyond reason, I slumped down in the chair, gazing moodily at Beth's still form, all but lost in the white sea of bed linens..

"I keep wondering..." Again I shoved a hand through my hair, a completely futile gesture when it really needed to be brushed and rebraided. "What if he's dead, and that's why she won't wake up?" I took a deep breath, and then another. "Can it work like that?"

"We'd know, we would feel-"

"No!" Not that insistence again. Furious, I surged out of the chair, seizing a pillow to be violently fluffed. "Don't start shoving your mystical half-assed excuses at me again! Not when none of you have felt them since this cluster-fuck exploded!"

He made no attempt to argue with me, but simply watched with dark, unreadable eyes as I stalked around the small room, poking ineffectually at anything that wasn't a tube or a wire. Raising my voice and moving around like a dervish of bottled-up frustration had drawn the attention of the nurses, and I wasn't too far gone to realize that our in with Dr. Cullen would only go so far. They'd kick us both out if I gave them an excuse, and the thought of leaving Beth by herself was the only thing that ultimately calmed me down.

"The truly ridiculous thing is that I don't even know how I should feel about Embry being missing." Gritting my teeth, I shouldered past him, moving back to my chair. In reality, Embry should have been a memorable one-night stand. The sort of guy you promise to call but never actually do. "I want to say he's just a guy, but the words don't feel right." Of course, leave it to me to pick one with _complications._ It was bad enough that he was young enough to date my little sister, all that meant was earning my cougar merit badge ahead of schedule. No, I'd picked the one that came with the built-in fur rug and fleas. Brilliant, Katrina.

A large hand settled gently on my shoulder, to comfort and to quiet. "Embry is part of us, just like Jacob." My eyes slid his way again, and the weight of his gaze was indescribable. I wondered; when C.S. Lewis wrote of Aslan, did he think instead of wolves? In retrospect, I wasn't sure how anyone could look at them, any of them, and not see them for what they were. It's the Clark Kent conundrum, I suppose. We see what we want to see, what is easy to see, and blind ourselves to the truths that come with looking a little deeper. "Losing a member of the pack is like losing a limb. For two to be gone is a pain like..." He shook his head. "You could not understand it." I was being rebuked, gently enough, but it wasn't exactly undeserved.

"You're right, I'm sorry." With a slow breath, I tore my eyes away from his leonine gaze, toying thoughtfully with the hem of my skirt. My involvement had only recently gone from special guest star to recurring character in this loony-bin morality tale, to say that I couldn't understand their ways was a gracious understatement. "I haven't even begun to process all of this. I know you probably wish Beth hadn't told me. Trust me, I sort of wish she hadn't either." But if she hadn't, she'd be dealing with it all alone. I don't think I could live with that.

"There are enough enemies to go around without fighting things that can't be changed." Sam's hand squeezed gently, and then released. "If they can be found, we will find them, and we will bring them home. Trust in that, and take care of our packsister. That will settle any debts." He smiled. "Real or imagined."

An answering smile quirked my lips, it was contagious. "Thanks Chief. Just keep up your end of the bargain." I watched him go, daring the nurses to take the opportunity to invade. "I'll take care of mine."

* * *

_Elizabeth POV_

The rock beneath me wore a shroud of verdant moss, green and thick with a texture akin to velvet. I stroked it with my fingertips, reflecting that I was lucky that I didn't have a matching layer of moss covering me, since I'd been here so long. How long had I been here? My brow furrowed as I struggled for an answer, only to have it drift just out of reach. Who I was and why I was here lay buried beneath a tangle of painful memories. They made no sense, and when I tried harder to sort them out, I was overcome by the same lingering exhaustion that kept me at the edge of the pool, listlessly watching the mist curl ever upward before it disappeared into the ether. They say that time heals all wounds, and time was all I had in this place. Everything else was muffled and brought to near-silence by the eternal mist that ringed the water like a halo.

One sound did push itself forward from the background; turning my head toward it, I became lost in what seemed little more than the repetitive drip of water droplets. Constant as a heartbeat, the persistent drip-drip-drip became uncomfortably loud in the hushed quiet. I winced in anticipation of each shrill impact, longing to reach out and disrupt the fall of water onto the rocks. Something held me back, some deeply buried knowledge that the sound was too important. Disquieted, I settled back on my rock, enveloped by a vague sense of fear that if the constant sound ever came to an end, the world would unravel around me.

If that happened... what then? Would I simply blink out of existence like a candle flame? Was there anything more than that? Why couldn't I remember?

Somewhere off in the distance, well beyond the barrier of the mist, a lonely sound was raised to the unchanging sky. I stood, twisting, trying to determine its direction led only by my racing heart. I knew that sound, as I knew nothing else, and for the first time I felt hope.

A hope that soared as the wolf howled again.


End file.
